Wat Ku Tao
| Wat Ku Tao | |
|---|---|
วัดกู่เต้า | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| Sect | Theravada Buddhism |
| District | Mueang Chiang Mai District |
| Province | Chiang Mai Province |
| Location | |
| Municipality | Chiang Mai |
| Country | Thailand |
| Geographic coordinates | 18°48′09″N 98°59′19″E / 18.802366°N 98.988744°E |
Wat Ku Tao (Thai: วัดกู่เต้า; "Temple of the Gourd Pagoda") is a Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The temple was built in 1613 to enshrine the remains of Nawrahta Minsaw, the first Burmese ruler of Lan Na. The temple is known for its distinctive chedi, which was built in the Yunnanese style, arranged in a series of five diminishing spheres that represent the five historical and future Buddhas. The temple presently caters to Chiang Mai's Shan community.
Formerly known as Wat Veru Vanaram, the temple features a striking pagoda resembling a stack of five watermelons, earning it the local moniker "Chedi Ku Tao" (meaning "watermelon pagoda" in Lanna dialect). Both its architecture, interior decor, and enshrined Buddha images showcase a strong influence of Burmese artistic traditions. History points to the importance of the temple as the home to the ashes of Nawrahta Minsaw, the first Burmese overlord of Chiang Mai.