CHIANG MAI (PART 1)

THE CAPITAL OF THE NORTH

#attimidiordinariafotografia

The frescoes of a city temple - Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Three young monks walk in the courtyard of Wat Chedi Luang after the monsoon rain - Chiang Mai, Thailand.

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Chiang Mai is one of the largest and most populated cities in Thailand, thanks to its glorious past it has come to be known even today as the 'capital of the North'. Famous for the very high number of temples in its urban centre and the area immediately surrounding it, it presents itself as a very liveable reality, far different from other more frenetic cities of its size. This impression also derives from the characteristics of the territory in which it is located. Bounded to the west by mountains - this is where the highest peak in the country is located - and to the east by the Ping River, although some of its streets are marked by the typical speed of metropolitan traffic, in general one finds a rhythm and lifestyle as well as architectural profiles more common to small towns and large villages. An element that characterises the entire province is precisely the strong presence of nature in and around the urban areas.

Initially used as a royal seat, it was founded as a city in 1296 with the intention of replacing neighbouring Chiang Rai and turning it into the new heart of the Lanna Kingdom - a word that literally means 'millions of rice fields'. Given its proximity to the borders of neighbouring countries, it has always been an economic and cultural reference point also for kingdoms outside its territory. For this reason, from its foundation, it was equipped with perimeter walls and a moat - still visible today around what is now only the central part of the city - to deter attacks from neighbouring rivals. As one can imagine, this stratagem was not enough to make it impenetrable, so much so that in 1558 it was conquered by the Burmese kingdom and remained annexed to its territory for almost two centuries.

In spite of this history of invasions, the city and the entire province have always given a hard time to those who tried to keep it under their yoke, showing a tenacious predisposition for independence. Suffice it to say that even in more recent centuries, when the then Kingdom of Siam annexed it as a colony under British pressure, it has always managed to retain its status as an autonomous province. It was not until 1932 that the province was definitively annexed to Siam as an effect of those same unitary movements, aimed at eliminating regional differences and creating a strong idea of nationhood, that only seven years later would rename the country Thailand.

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The roof of a city temple, light cables and the moon in the background - Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Two worshippers bring offerings to one of the Buddha statues at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep - Chiang Mai, Thailand.