White and mirrors
A temple that glitters like snow.
Chainwit. — CC BY 4.0 · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jakub Hałun — CC BY-SA 4.0
Northern Thailand's most famous and most unusual sight: a dazzling white temple that glitters as if carved from snow and glass, designed by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, who began building it in 1997 on the site of a crumbling old temple in his home town, and work continues to this day. White stands for purity, and the mirror fragments set in the facades for wisdom. Visitors reach the main hall across a bridge over a pit from which hundreds of sculpted hands reach up, symbolising desire and suffering, then enter a hall whose walls carry surprising modern murals that mix religious symbols with figures from films and contemporary culture. Around the temple stand other striking buildings, notably an ornate golden structure, and a gallery of the artist's work. Foreigners pay one hundred baht, and the temple opens from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon, with the main hall closing briefly around midday. Modest dress is required: shoulders and knees covered, and shoes off before entering the halls. Photography inside the hall is not allowed. Arrive at eight sharp before the tour coaches, as it gets very crowded before noon. The best months are November to February, when the weather is mild and the sky clear.
A temple that glitters like snow.
Hundreds of sculpted hands below.
Modern paintings inside the hall.
About 13 km south of Chiang Rai town, on Phahonyothin Road
No, construction began in 1997 and is still going on. It is one artist's contemporary work more than a historic monument, which is what makes it special.