Attraction
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Hilltop Lanna temple about 15 km from the city, with a gilded 24-metre chedi, a long naga staircase and wide views over Chiang Mai.
Wat Sri Suphan
The Silver Temple on Wualai Road, whose ordination hall is clad in silver, nickel and aluminium panels made in the surrounding silversmith quarter.
At a glance
- Type
- Buddhist temple (Silver Temple)
- Area
- Wualai, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Good to know
- Silver ordination hall
- Silversmith area
Why we recommend it
Wat Sri Suphan is better known to visitors as the Silver Temple. It stands at 100 Wualai Road in Haiya, the traditional silversmith district of Chiang Mai, where small workshops still hammer and engrave metal. The temple was founded around 1500 under King Mueang Kaeo of the Mangrai dynasty, with its assembly hall, ordination hall and chedi completed within about a decade. Very little of the original fabric survives, apart from some teak pillars and supports reused in the newer assembly hall.
What draws people today is the ordination hall, or ubosot, which has been covered inside and out with panels of silver, nickel and aluminium. The surfaces are worked in repoussé, with raised figures, animals and patterns hammered out from behind, and close up the level of detail is impressive.
One point to know before you go: the ordination hall is in active use, and women are not allowed to enter it. Everyone can walk around the outside and view the decoration from close range, and the other buildings in the compound are open to all. As with every temple, cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before going inside any hall.
The temple suits anyone interested in craft and design, and photographers will want to spend time on the details. Because the surrounding streets are still home to silver workshops, it is worth walking a little way along Wualai Road to see the trade in action and perhaps buy a piece directly from a maker.
Allow 30 minutes to an hour for the temple itself. On Saturdays Wualai Road becomes a walking street market from late afternoon, which makes an evening visit an easy combination with food stalls and shopping.
Bring a camera with a good zoom if you can, to capture the repoussé detail on the hall. If you want to buy silver, compare pieces at a few workshops along the road, ask what the metal is, and take your time. Workshops vary in what they make, from jewellery to bowls and decorative panels. Visiting in daylight shows the metalwork clearly, while an evening visit during the Saturday market has a livelier atmosphere.
Wat Sri Suphan FAQs
Why is it called the Silver Temple?
Its ordination hall is covered with decorated panels of silver, nickel and aluminium.
Can women enter the silver ordination hall?
No. The hall is in active use and women are not permitted inside, though everyone can view it from outside.
When was it founded?
Around 1500, under King Mueang Kaeo of the Mangrai dynasty.
Where is it?
At 100 Wualai Road in Haiya, on Wualai Road.
Can I see silversmiths at work?
Yes. Haiya is the traditional silversmith quarter and workshops still operate nearby.
Is there a dress code?
Yes. Cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before entering buildings.
How long should I allow?
About 30 minutes to an hour.
What else is nearby?
The Wualai Saturday walking street market and Chiang Mai Gate are close by.