Wat Chet Yot, in Chiang Mai, was established in 1455 by Lanna King Tilokarat, who ordered the construction of a "great monastery" on the site in 1476. The following year, the temple was host to the Eighth World Buddhist Council, celebrating the 2000th anniversary of the birth of the Buddha. The temple's principal attraction is its unusual assembly hall/chedi, apparently loosely modeled after the famous Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, India. Its rectangular base is topped by seven spires (chet yot ) or stupas, while its exterior walls exhibit the remains of 70 beautifully carved stucco thewada, benevolent guardian spirits.

Wat Chet Yot

Entering the temple grounds
In typical Lanna fashion, the intricately carved gable board is divided into rectangular sections. Depicted are fabulous creatures amid vegetal designs.
Temple guardians in the form of snakelike naga flank the entry steps.
A birdlike cho fa sits atop the entry porch.
In this view of the top of the original assembly hall, all of the seven spires may be seen.
A small chedi, or stupa, contains a very small image of a Buddha.
Standing Buddha image with flower offerings
This chedi, built in 1487, contains the ashes of King Tilokarat.
The original assembly hall with seven spires on its roof.
The vaulted interior contains a Buddha image.
Several of the original 70 guardian figures have been lost to time, but many do remain.
Another standing Buddha figure, here with both hands raised in abhaya mudra, a gesture of calming or reassurance. Gold-leaf offerings have been generously applied to the image by worshippers as a merit-making gesture.
Another view of the chedi containing Tilokorat's ashes