The temple complex of Wat Phra Kaew is located on Thanon Trairat in Tambon

Tambon

Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...

Wiang, Mueang district

Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai

Mueang Chiang Rai is the capital district of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Mae Fa Luang, Mae Chan, Wiang Chiang Rung, Wiang Chai, Thoeng, Pa Daet, Phan, Mae Lao, Mae Suai of Chiang Rai Province and Mae Ai of Chiang Mai Province.The important water...

, Chiang Rai Province

Chiang Rai Province

Chiang Rai is the northernmost province of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Phayao, Lampang and Chiang Mai. In the north it borders Shan State of Myanmar and Bokeo of Laos.-Geography:...

, Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

.

Wat Phra Kaew was appointed the First Royal Temple of Chiang Rai on 31 May 1978 (B.E. 2521).

Before the Phra Kaew image

The founding of what is now known as Wat Phra Kaew in Chiang Rai is obscure. The temple was known as Wat Pa Yeah (วัดป่าเยี้ยะ or วัดป่าญะ), the Temple in the Golden Bamboo Forest, because it was in fact surrounded by this beautiful, useful bamboo

Bamboo

Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

. Its names was changed to Wat Phra Kaew in 1434 (B.E. 1977) after its chedi

Stupa

A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....

 was struck by lightning revealing the Phra Kaew Marakot

Emerald Buddha

The Emerald Buddha is the palladium of the Kingdom of Thailand, a figurine of the sitting Buddha, made of green jadeite , clothed in gold, and about 45 cm tall...

 within.

The Chedi

The Phra Kaew Marakot remained at Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai for 43 years before its discovery 1391-1434 (B.E. 1934-1977) and remained for two years thereafter, at which time it was moved to Lampang

Lampang

Lampang, also called Nakhon Lampang to differentiate from Lampang Province, is the third largest town in northern Thailand and capital of Lampang Province and the Lampang district. Traditional names for Lampang include Wiang Lakon and Khelang Nakhon. The city is still growing rapidly as trading...

 in 1436 (B.E. 1979)

Phra Jao Lan Thong image

One of the largest and most beautiful Buddha images in Thailand is presently housed in the ubosoth

Ubosoth

A phra ubosot is a building in a Buddhist Wat. It is the holiest prayer room, also called the "ordination hall" as it is where ordinations take place....

 at Wat Phra Kaew, Phra Jao Lan Thong. The image is made of brass

Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...

 and copper

Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...

 and is believed to be 700 years old. The image was originally housed at Wat Phra Chao Lan Thong in Chiang Rai, then moved to Wat Ngam Muang, and then to Wat Phra Kaew in 1961 (B.E 2504). Thus it is now called Phra Jao Lan Thong.

The new Phra Kaew Marakot image

A new Phra Kaew Marakot image was carved in China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

 of Canadian

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 jade

Jade

Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...

 in honor of Her Royal Highness Somdej Phrasrinkharintra, the Princess Mother's ninetieth birthday. A dedication ceremony was held in Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

on 20 September 1991 (B.E. 2534) and the image was installed by grand procession at Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai on 19 October of the same year.