Wat Phantao

Wat Phan Tao is distinguished by its dark, weathered teakwood assembly hall, a structure that stands in sharp contrast to the more gilded temples nearby. While many religious sites in Chiang Mai are built of stone or brick, this hall is crafted entirely from wood that once belonged to a royal palace. It was originally the throne hall, or Ho Kham, of King Mahotara Prathet, who ruled Chiang Mai in the mid-nineteenth century.