King Tilokarat built Wat Jet Yod in 1477 when he hosted the Eighth World Buddhist Council which was convened to purify the scriptures and to revise the Tripitaka (the Buddhist canon and teachings) - the results of the conference have unfortunately been lost. A visit is a must for all Buddhists who come to Chiang Mai.
The temple is unlike any other in Chiang Mai, being of a peculiar Indian design. The seven chedi (Jet Yod) stand on a substantial laterite base in which there is an arched cave containing a Buddha image. The most interesting feature of the temple is the series of seventy, much damaged, but still very beautiful, stucco thewadas (celestial beings) that decorate the walls of the base. Their intricate clothes and jewelry and their lovely smiling faces are Lanna art at its finest.
The grounds of the temple are tranquil and spacious, shaded by many old trees. There are three other chedi in the compound one of which contains the remains of King Tilokarat.
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