Northern culture

Although flavored by contact with Myanmar and Laos, Lanna culture is unique. In addition to special dishes found only in the North, Lanna temple architecture is immediately recognizable. As the temple is built on a low base of stucco-covered brick, a northern temple seem squat in contrast to the soaring temple of the Central Plains. Its roofs rise in three tiers from low, generally windowless, walls, sweeping in flat, graceful curves like the wings of gigantic birds.
The interior is generally plain. Representative of Lanna structures is kingpost construction to support the roof. The ceiling is also decorated with gold lotuses and stars on a red background. In newer temple buildings, there is a strong preference for gold and bright red, often to point of garishness. 
There are a variety of Chedi (stupa) styles including the square pyramid of the early Ha-ri-pun-chai period (Wat-Kukut in LamPhun and Wat Chedi-Liem in ChiangMai), square pyramids with dented corners (ChiangMai's Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Doi-Suthep), the later Ha-ri-pun-chai style with its compact base and tall spire and circular Chedi punctuated with niches holding standing Buddha images. 
Burmese temples with their half-dozen roofs and gingerbread eaves abound. Together with the distinctive Burmese-style Chedi (also found in Lanna wat like those along Tha-Phae Road) with their foliage and golden rings like those of the 'long-necked' Karen (or Pa Dawn), they are found outside Lamphun and in Mae Hong-Son.
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