Hello everyone. Chiang Dao District is another district in Chiang Mai that has many beautiful tourist attractions and temples. This district is about 60 kilometers from my home. So me and my wife like to visit this district. Last month my wife and I had free time, so we went to visit many places in Chiang Dao district. One of the places that I visit in this district is Wat Don Si Sa Ard.
Wat Don Si Sa Ard is a temple with beautiful architecture and sculptures in the beautiful Lanna art style. This temple was permitted to be established as a temple and royal granting of the land to a particular temple by announcing in royal decree in the year A.D. 1922, about 101 years ago.
Getting to this temple, If you travel from Mueang Chiang Mai District to Chiang Dao District on Highway 107. This temple is on the left side of Highway 107. But if you travel from Chiang Rai Province to Chiang Dao District, this temple is on the right side.
When me and my wife arrived at Wat Don Si Sa Ard. The first thing we saw was a small pavilion with a temple nameplate.
Wat Don Si Sa Ard is on a low hill at the entrance to the temple on a slope. And on the entrance to the temple, there are serpent sculptures with green patterns on the left and right sides. In addition, there is a large entrance arch of temple the traditional Lanna art style and sculptures of color gold lions left and right area front of the entrance arch, Which is beautiful.
As we enter the temple, the first highlight of the temple is the buddha image hall (viharn) Lanna art style. The 100 year old buddha image hall (viharn) is made of cement bricks decorated with simple traditional Lanna art patterns. Although this buddha image hall (viharn) is not as luxurious as other temples. but looks simple and beautiful.
Within this buddha image hall (viharn), there is a beautiful main buddha statue and other buddha images. The main buddha image sits on the color gold foundation with beautiful patterns. In addition, the within of the buddha image hall (viharn) is decorated with color gold buddhist patterns too.
Near the buddha image hall (viharn), there is a multi-purpose building in Lanna style.
Area the front, before we go up the stairs to another floor of this temple, there is a small pavilion and inside the pavilion there is a sculpture of earth goddess.
In addition, there is a sculpture of doctor jivaka komarabhacca (Doctor of the Buddha in the past) beside the earth goddess pavilion too.
The stairway leading up to another floor of this temple, there are 2 stairway. The first stairway is on the right hand side. This stairway is the sculptural stairway with the deity's body and head, but with serpent tails on the left and right sides. When we go up this stairway, we will see the second buddha image hall (viharn) of the temple. Which is the second highlight of this temple.
This buddha image hall (viharn) is different from the first buddha image hall (viharn). This buddha image hall (viharn) is built in Lanna art style, decorated with distinctive and beautiful color gold patterns. And area front of the buddha image hall (viharn), there are sculptures of 5 serpent heads. Overall, this buddha image hall (viharn) looks very beautiful and magnificent. Unfortunately, this buddha image hall (viharn) is not open for viewing inside the buddha image hall (viharn).
But If we go up the second stairway on the left, we will see the beautiful pagoda of this temple first. The second stairway is a stairway with a serpent sculpture with green patterns and red patterns on the left and right sides. And there are sculptures of red lions on the left and right ascents as well.
This color gold pagoda looks similar a castle on a square concrete foundation. Within the foundation of the pagoda is a large square room that can enter inside the pagoda. And Inside there is a small color gold pagoda, many buddha images and murals.
In addition, area front of the pagoda there are large buddha statues, sculptures of deities and giants.
Behind the buddha image hall (viharn) we can see the beautiful bell tower of the temple, in which the bell tower is built in Lanna style as well.
The architecture of this temple also includes a large pavilion that looks simple but beautiful. Inside the large pavilion, there is the main buddha image is reclining buddha image and other buddha images. The stairway leading to the pavilion are serpent stairway and in front of the pavilion there are many deities sculptures.
When we walk to the back, we will see the stairs leading up to another floor of temple. The stairway up is a sculpture of the head and body of a deity and a serpent's tail. On the top there is a large buddha statue and on the way to the large buddha statue there are many white sculptures of deities on the left and right sides.
Behind the big Buddha image is the area of the monks. So we didn't walk. Before leaving the temple, I take pictures and enjoy the view at the bottom of the temple from the top of the pagoda area.
These are the stories and photos I want to share for this post. Invite everyone to watch and enjoy my stories and photos. Have a great day. See you next time. Thank you for your support and visiting my post. Bye 🤗
🌏 Wat Don Si Sa Ard is located at Don Si Sa Ard Village, Chiang Dao Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District. Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.
Open daily from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
📷 Smartphone Xiaomi Note 11 Pro.
