Wat Ched Yod or Wat Jedyod (Wat Botharam Maha Vihara)

 temple, buddhist temple

Wat Ched Yod or Wat Jedyod (Wat Botharam Maha Vihara) TH วัดเจ็ดยอด (วัดโพธารามมหาวิหาร)
(Also spelled Wat Jed Yod, Wat Ched Yod or Wat Chedi Yod)
Wat Jed Yod or Wat Botharam Maha Vihara, is located outside Chiang Mai City on the northwest on the bank of the Mae Khan River. It is considered an important historic site in Thailand. The temple was built by Phya (King) Tilokaraja, the 9th king of Lanna, A.D. 1442-1487 (B.E. 1985-2030), as the residence of Phra Uthamapanya Mahathera, a revered monk who was the abbot of the temple during the Buddhist Lent in A.D. 1485 (B.E. 1998). A Bothi tree was also planted to remind one of the time when the Buddha was confronted by the Mara (a devil who tried to prevent him from attaining enlightenment). Seven other significant places were also set up to imitate the places which the Buddha visited and enjoyed great peace for seven days each before going out to spread his teaching. The places are the Bothi Tree Seat or Throne, Animis Chedi, Ratana Jongkrom, Ratana Ghara Chedi, Rajayatana Chedi, Achapalantikroth and Mondopa of Mujjalinta pond. The Bothi Throne (present day Chedi Jedyod) was modeled after the architectural style of the Chedi at Maha Bothi Vihara in India, whose outside wall was decorated with the stucco relief of an assembly of angels or deities. The first revision of the Tripitaka text was held here for the first time in Thailand, the eighth time in the world, in A.D. 1477 (B.E. 2020), which took one year to complete. The revision was chaired by Phra Tharathin Mahathera of Wat Patan, who represented the monks and by Phya Tilokaraja, who represented the lay people. The temple was granted the name of "Botharam Maha Vihara" because it had the Bothi tree and the great Vihara on its premises. However, since the Vihara had seven Chedis on the top, the people often referred to it as "Wat Jedyod" or temple with seven spires (or Chedis).
After Phya Tilokaraja's death in A.D. 1487 (B.E. 2030), Phya Yod Changrai, his nephew, commanded his subjects to build a crematorium and a big Chedi to hold his ashes and relics. In the time of Phya Muang Kaee, A.D. 1495-1525 (B.E. 2038-2068), these places were restored and an Ubosoth and other structures were added and were surrounded by walls, having the main gate (Sum Prathukhong) on the east. Wat Jedyod was deserted for a while until the early Rattanakosin period when King Kawila of Chiang Mai, A.D. 1796 (B.E. 2339) came to revive the city and to restore several buildings in Chiang Mai, including Wat Jedyod. Since then Wat Jedyod has become significant as a place that contains several masterpieces of artistic as well as historical value. The Fine Arts Department conducted the restoration and conservation of the temple in A.D. 1965 (B.E. 2508) and A.D. 1974-1984 (B.E. 2517-2527) and A.D. 2002-2004 (B.E. 2545-2547) respectively.
English text from historical marker at Wat Jed Yod.


Wat Jet Yod NW of the Old City, 1.5 km outside of Chiang Mai on the Lampahng Super Highway, the northern loop of the ring road around Chiang Mai. The Temple of the Seven Spires is most famous for the seven chedi which sit atop the richly decorated old viharn, which is a copy of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India.