In 1411 King Saen Muang Ma ordered his workers to build a chedi "as high as a dove could fly." He died before the structure was finished, as did the next king. During the reign of the following king, an earthquake knocked down about a third of the 282-foot spire, and it's now a superb ruin. The parklike grounds contain a variety of assembly halls, chapels, a 30-foot-long reclining Buddha, and the ancient city pillar. The main assembly hall, a vast, pillared building guarded by two nagas (mythical snakes believed to control the irrigation waters in rice fields), has been restored and was reopened to the public in 2008.
Visit the Travel Talk forums for help on planning your trip