Wat Ku Tao — Attraction in Chiang Mai Province

It feels odd to give three stars to a place of worship, but Wat Ku Tao stood out among local temples for a couple of reasons: it's definitely less touristy and off the beaten path, which is nice -- but it also feels really run-down and disused, like there'd been a frat party the night before and everyone left for spring break without cleaning up.

We were kind of delighted at first to see novice monks (boys of about 8 years of age) receiving tutoring in an open pavilion when we first arrived, and the main Stupa is indeed fairly different than you will see elsewhere... But as you explore, you can't help but think the whole place is kind of gross and in need of a good cleaning. I was surprised and disappointed, but my wife reminds me it's not my place to judge, and I am sure...

チェンマイ旧市街の北側城外にある寺院です。他に例を見ない珍しいかたちの仏塔があることで知られています。 本来の寺名は「ワット・ウェルワンナーラーム（วัดเวฬุวนาราม）」と言います。「ウェルワンナーラーム」は「竹林の寺」という意味です。仏教経典に登場する、お釈迦さま在世時代のインドの僧院「ヴェール・ヴァナ・アーラーマ」にちなんで付けられた名前かと思います。 「ワット・クータオ（วัดกู่เต้า ）」は、この寺院にある珍しい仏塔の名前からつけられた通称です。 「クー・タオ」という言葉の中にある「クー（กู่）」というのは、僧侶や国王など高貴な存在（※国王の愛馬や愛象の場合もある）の遺骨を埋葬するお墓を意味します。このことから、寺院境内にある仏塔は、偉い人の墓塔でもあることが分かります。 「タオ（เต้า...

Wat Ku Tao, Amphoe Muang. Famous for its unusual look, the

temple was formerly named ”Wat Veru Vanaram”, but it has long been

called ”Wat Ku Tao” by the locals owing to the odd shape of its pagoda

like a pile of watermelons. Nothing is known of its founder or its founding date, there is only a legend saying its Chedi contains the ashes of Prince

Saravadee, the son of King Bayinnaung of Burma, who ruled Chiang...