Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai and is located inside the old city walls and moat. The temple has many unique sights and features including a large Lotus pond, a temple library or scripture depositary, and a large stele with the oldest mention of Chiang Mai. The highlights of the temple visit are the 'Phra Kaew Khao' or 'Crystal Buddha', this small 10 cm statue of the Buddha was carved completely out of quartz crystal, and the statue sits atop a large wooden base covered in more than 6 kg of gold. Another highlight is the 'Elephant Chedi', which is the oldest part of the temple complex. This statue represents the front portion of 15 life-sized elephants, which appear to be carrying the upper parts of the building on their backs. There are two ‘Wihan’ or Holy places in the temple which house important statues of the Buddha.
