The fort, the moat, the city wall of Chiang Mai

Terrain

General Condition

The city of Chiang Mai has a square plan. Surrounded by a moat on all 4 sides, it is located in a flat area between the western mountain ranges. and the Mae Ping River in the east The city wall is divided into two parts:

1. The rectangular brick wall (1,600 x 1,600 meters) is surrounded by a moat on all 4 sides. There is a city gate, Tha Phae Gate on the east side. Chiang Mai Gate and Suan Prung Gate On the south side, Suan Dok Gate, on the west side and the White Elephant Gate North side

2. The earth wall arc-shaped circle Surrounding the corner of the brick wall in the southeast, there are Rakhang Gate, Khua Kom Gate and Hai Ya Gate (Saraswati Ongsakul 2543:112-122)

Height above mean sea level

Waterway

Ping River

Geological conditions

Geological conditions in the Chiang Mai Basin are very diverse, from complex igneous rocks, volcanic rocks, metamorphic rocks, and sedimentary rocks of various ages over 600 million years, to the unsolved sandstone sediments on the central plains of the Recent Basin that are approximately 10,000-20,000 years ago, which included most of the plains that were now farms and dwellings (Saraswati Ongsakul 2000 :2-3)

Archaeological Era

era/culture

Archaeological age

Mythological age

Types of archaeological sites

archaeological essence

The first Chiang Mai city wall was built at the same time as the city building in 1835. The moat was excavated from the northeast, namely Chaeng Si Phum, which was Si Phra Nakhon. and then circled to the south Then the circles converge on all 4 sides by using the soil dug a moat to fill the wall line. Then lay bricks on both sides to prevent soil erosion. Above the walls were paved bricks along the way. The wall that was built for the first time was the inner city wall (Sasithorn Ui Charoen 2004 :22) with 5 gates, namely

1. Hua Wiang Gate or the white elephant gate in the north regarded as the city power and greatness The king will enter the city at this gate. Hua Wiang Gate changed its name to Chang Puak Gate around the 23rd Buddhist century.

2. Chiang Ruek Gate located on the east side is a commercial community expected to be densely populated Chiang Ruek Gate was renamed the Inner Tha Phae Gate. To be paired with the outer Tha Phae Gate in the reign of King Inthawichayanon King Chiang Mai (1873-1897)

3. Chiang Mai Gate located on the south side In the past, it was an important route between Chiang Mai to Wiang Kum Kam and Lamphun.

4. Saen Pung Gate Located in the southwest near Chiang Mai Gate. presumably drilled later Outside the door was a group of forgemen, who had furnaces for casting large quantities of metal. Therefore, it is assumed that the name of the door may come from a lot of kilns (fireplaces).

From the belief in the direction and area, this area is considered the Kalkini area, so it was used as a gateway to the cemetery.

5. Dok garden gate located in the west It's the way to the King's Park.

In addition, there are also the four corners of the city or the corners of the city. It is believed that all four of them have guardian angels who act to protect against enemies as follows:

1. Chaeng Sri Phum in the northeast The construction of the city wall in 1839 began at Chaeng Si Phum. Because there is a nigroth tree that the natives believe to be auspicious and powerful.

2. Jang Khata is in the southeast. Khata means catching fish because this Jang is lower than the others. It is the area where the water canals converge. Make a fish chum

3. Jang Ku Huang is located in the southwest. The area in front of Jang used to contain ten thousand Huang's ashes, so it was called "Jang Ku Huang" according to the belief that this area was considered to be the city's city. Thus bringing the badness to this side.

4. Jang Hua Lin is in the northwest. It is an area that is higher than the other side. It is the point of receiving water into the city. and then transported along the four water delivery canals around Wiang Chiang Mai.

for the outer city wall or a crescent-shaped earth wall encircling the inner wall Starting from Chang Sikhoraphum along the Mae Kha River, descending east to the south, converge at the inner wall at Jang Ku Huang. For the door on the outer wall, there are 5 places:

1. Chang Moi Gate in the northeast of the city It is assumed that drilling was added in the early Rattanakosin period. due to the dense population It was later dismantled after 1904. and adjust to road

2. Tha Phae Gate or the outer Tha Phae Gate on the east side of the city It is the exit to Mae Ping Pier. As the country grew more prosperous, the outer Tha Phae Gate gradually disintegrated. Only the inner Tha Phae Gate was left. which is now called Tha Phae Gate

3. The Canal Door in the southeast It is the door that leads the prisoners out to the death zone at Tha Wang Tan Cemetery.

4. Kowloon door in the south This name appears in the poem Mantra Battle Chiang Mai It is assumed that at least there should have been since 2158 B.E.

5. Hai Ya Gate or Hai Ya is in the southwest. is the position of the city Used as a way to move corpses to cremation at cemeteries since ancient times.

From archaeological evidence found, such as pottery from Wiang Ka Long kilns. It is assumed that the outer city wall was built behind the inner city wall. Probably around the 22nd Buddhist century (Saraswati Ongsakul 2543 :113-122)

Chiang Mai's city walls were restored for the first time around 1517 during the reign of Phra Muang Kaew. The wall was reinforced to be wider for about 2 wa when it came to the reign of King Mekuti. An outer city wall was built. on the advice of the Burmese nobles Chiang Mai had been under Burmese power for 262 years, causing the Chiang Mai Moat Fortress to greatly deteriorate. Until 1796 In the reign of King Kawila has saved the city of Chiang Mai back again and restored the fortress as well as digging a new moat to prosper until the present (Phraya Prachakitchak 2014 :444)

Forts, moats, and city walls of Chiang Mai are useful in defending against the enemy and are also useful in determining the usable area of ​​Chiang Mai. By using a three-tiered wall or "tribun", the important area of ​​the city is divided into three parts:the middle layer is the navel of the city, where the Inthakhil Pillar and the city robes are located. Next is the part of the King. There was a moat surrounding the square wall. The next area is the living area of ​​people with secondary social status. The area that is the water circle is designated as a cemetery (Thosaporn Soda attain 2003 :149-150)

Relevant local legend :

1. Chiang Mai local legend Mention the details of the month, year, size of the construction of the Chiang Mai City Wall when the first time it was built in the King Mangrai period. In the Phaya Saen Phu period There are 3 Chiang Mai city gates, namely Chiang Mai Gate, Suan Dok Gate and Hua Wiang Gate (Arunrat Wichiankeaw and David K. Ageat 2000 :46-47,59)

2. The Ionian Chronicles Said that Chao Mengrai established Chiang Mai at the foot of Mount Usujabanphot, which is Pa Lao, to be the center of the city. and established the royal palace and build the city wall (Phraya Prachakitrakachak 2014 :284-288)

3.Chingal Mali Pakorn Talks about the excavation of a canal and the construction of the Chiang Mai City Wall in 1869. Phaya Pha Yu, please dig to expand the moat to a width of 9 wa and build a brick wall (Pol Lt. Gen. Saeng Monwitun, translator 1975 :108)

Related inscription :

1. The inscription of Wat Chiang Man (Chor. 1), B.E. 2124, mentions the construction of the Chiang Mai city wall in the King Mangraj era that it was built in a square shape (the Fine Arts Department 2008 :3)

2. Inscription on Tha Phae Gate Chiang Mai 1 (H.36/1) is an inscription in reverse, upside down, similar to a shadow in a mirror. The 1st side is referring to the Inthakin Pillar, while the 2nd side is the inscription of the horoscope number (The Fine Arts Department 2008:115-116). )

3. Tha Phae Gate Inscription Chiang Mai Province 2 (Hr. 36/2) The first side talks about the Chinnabanchorn spell. Wild Chicken Heart Spell It is a fire protection spell and brings good luck. 4 Noble Truths Heart Spell and the spell forbidding the bow, while the second side mentions the Sorosamahamongkol Yant (Department of Fine Arts 2008 :117-118)

4. Tha Phae Gate Inscription Chiang Mai Province 3 (H.36/3) Yant Sorosamongkol inscription (Department of Fine Arts 2008 :119)

5. Tha Phae Gate Inscription Chiang Mai Province 4 inscriptions of the heart of Phra Arya (Department of Fine Arts 2008 :119)

6. Tha Phae Gate Inscription Chiang Mai Province 5 inscriptions of the heart of Phra Arya (Department of Fine Arts 2008 :119)

7. Inscription of Suan Dok Gate 1 (HR.17/1) inscription of the same talisman as the inscription of Tha Phae Gate on the 1st side. and the inscription on the White Elephant Gate (Department of Fine Arts 2008 :129)

8. Inscription of Suan Dok Gate 2 (HR.17/2) inscription of nine yantras (Department of Fine Arts 2008 :129)

9. Suan Dok Gate 3 Inscription (H.17/3) Yant Sorosamongkol and Trinisinghe Yant inscription (The Fine Arts Department 2008 :129)

10. Chiang Mai City Gate inscription (H.173/1) and (H.173/2) are the old and new digits respectively. The old principle is the same as at Tha Phae Gate, Suan Dok Gate and Suan Dok Gate. The new main part is not written correctly so there is no reading. Transcript (Department of Fine Arts 2008 :148-150)

11. Suanprung Gate Inscription, Principal 1 (H.174/1) and Suan Prung Door Inscription, Principal 2 (H.174/2) (The Fine Arts Department 2008:151-152).