Famous Historical places of Thailand
"A Historical Chronicle of Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai, Lamphun, Thailand"
Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai is one of the royal temples. There are many revered materials and worshiped place. The most important thing is Hariphunchai pagoda which is more than one thousand years old. It is situated at the middle of Buddha region. It's one of the most ancient temples in Lanna Thai which the king of Lanna Thai had built in the year B.E. 1440. It's one of the 8 highest pagodas in Thailand which is more than 1,000 years old. Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai is situated at the middle site of Lamphun city, on a wide area approximately 25 square Rais surrounded by four city roads as follows; the North side is Atharose road. The South side is Chaimongkol road. The East side is Robmuang road. The West side is Intayongyot road. What is the meaning of relics? The relic means the Buddha's long left bone or Buddha's ashes which perched together as hard as mineral, and finally, became crystallised. It is glistening as a lapidarian jade. The size of relic is generally as small as a gram which is a shiny round object. Buddhist prefer to enshrine or bury the relic under the pagoda for preventing from stolen collectors besides being place of reverence and worship for the people.
Hariphunchai pagoda standing behind Viharnluong.	The teak Viharnluong which built in the year B.E. 2412 was collapsed by the strong wind in B.E. 2458
Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai is very well known among Thai people, especially Lanna Thai because it is the most important temple in Lamphun. Its importance as follows: it is a historical temple; the most sacred temples; the tutelary temple of the city; it is one of the two royal temples in Lamphun, and it is the productive land of the most revered monk in Lanna (Srivichai) The monastic name was derived from the name of the city. According to the Buddha's prediction, stating in that period, during his journey for getting alms bowl. He stoped and got some myrobalan fruits from Lua people. After eating those myrobalans at that time, he predicted that there would be people establishing this place as a city, and named Hariphunchai. From that day on, there were two hermits named Wasuthep and Sukkatanta joined together for establishing a new city here and named Hariphunchai in the year B.E. 1204 accordance with the truthful prediction of the Buddha. Hariphunchai means a town where the Buddha had eaten some myrobalan fruit. (Hari=Myrobalan, Phunchai= Eating, Nakorn=Town).
The new Viharnluong was rebuit in the year B.E. 2460 and finished in B.E. 2472. The original structure remains nowadays.	The former teak Viharnluong (Temple) was built in the year B.E. 2412. Hariphunchai pagoda standing behind Viharnluong can be seen.
In the year B.E. 1819 King Mengrai, the Great, ruler of Hariphunchainakorn, built a pagoda which was 75 feet high covering the king Sabbasit's canopy. This pagoda was made of laterites, it was covered by golden thin plates around pagoda. In the year B.E. 1986, King Tilogaraj's reign, the king and ven. Phramaha Metangkorn joined together to restore and enlarge the pagoda from original size to 127 feet in height and 62 feet in width. It was buit in Ceylonese style, covering up the original pagoda and covered by the golden thin plates. It is the laterite pagoda, there is not any metal line inside. It's still strong now. It is very proud for Thai people in Thai technical skill in the past.
The frontal entrance to Viharnluong, built in the year B.E. 2450	Chapel library, built in the year B.E. 2445
The White Buddha Image that Chammadevi ruler brought fom Lavo (Lopburi) for standing as the tutelary Buddha image of Lamphun. When Lamphun city was defeated and siezed by Phraya Mengrai of Chiang Mai in the year B.E. 1835, the White Buddha Image was taken to keep in Chiang Mai, Wat Chiangman, nowadays.	Hoh Phra Narg (The White Buddha Image House).
Ancient building materials in Lamphun, such as; Chapel library in the arts of Cambodian and Srivichai, presumed to build in the year B.E. 2445., Belfry, the first belfry made of 2 posts for hanging the bell in the year B.E. 2425, the seen belfry is the architectural style of Rattanakosin period, created in the year B.E. 2480. Patumavadee Jedee or Suwanna Jedee, was built by Mrs. Patumavadee, the King Artayaraj's wife. It's shaped quadrilaterally made of bricks and covered by golden thin plares around it.
Belfry, built in the year B.E. 2480	Suwanna Jedee