Wat Lok Moli
Wat Lok Moli (sometimes also seen written as Wat Lok Molee) is a Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. The temple is situated on the north side of the north moat surrounding the old part of the city, about 400 meters west of the Chang Phuak city gate.
Although there has been a temple at this location since the 14th century AD, the history of Wat Lok Moli begins in the 16th century. The temple can be seen as a seminal piece of the history of the Mengrai Dynasty. Lanna was founded by King Mengrai in 1296, his descendants ruled it independently until 1558, when the kingdom became a vassal of the Burmese for the following 200 years. Wat Lok Molee was founded by King Kue Na (1355 – 1385), the sixth ruler of the Mengrai Dynasty, as a place to house ten Burmese monks of the Phra Maha Uthumphonbupha Maha Savamee Committee, who he has invited in order to spread the Buddha Dhamma.
Explore impressive architecture of Wat Lok Moli
The prominent points in the Wat are sophisticated nagas sculptures and the wooden front of the temple with different works about Hinduism and Buddhism. Especially, it is weird that the wat and its rooms are built in the direction of north - south while most pagodas in Buddhist style are toward the east, where the sun rises.
A prayer room and the garden in precinct is well-decorated and eye-catch tourists at the first time visiting. Wat Lok Moli is outside the old-quarter area of the city, therefore, visitors here are not too crowded as other temples in Chiang Mai. You can stay alone, experience the whole precinct without any annoyance. The main entrance to Wat Lok Moli is set two elephant stones, the others is for visitors who have car, motorbikes.
The temple complex is free-entrance and open daily from 6 a.m to 5 p.m.
Chiang Mai Travel Guide
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3 Days 2 Nights