Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, built by the city's founder King Mangrai in 1296 during the construction of the city itself. The compound is relatively small and often overlooked by visitors heading for the bigger temples to the south, but it rewards a detour. The main viharn contains two highly revered Buddha images: Phra Sila, a marble bas-relief thought to date to the 8th century, and Phra Setang Khamani, a small crystal image supposedly capable of bringing rain.
The square chedi in the grounds is supported by a row of elephant buttresses at its base — a classic Lanna design. The whole complex has a calm, neighbourhood-temple feel, less touristed and more intimate than the main sights further south.