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Wat Ku Kut (founded c. 1150, present buildings 1218 onward)

Lamphun was originally the site of Haripunjaya, a major city of the Dvaravati kingdom. The ethnic components of the Dvaravati population are not known with certainly, but the kingdom preceded the arrival of Tai peoples from the north. Likely much of Dvaravati's people were of Mon origin, and the two chedis at Wat Ku Kut are some of the last surviving examples of Mon architecture remaining in Thailand.

The larger of the two chedis was likely constructed around 1150 by King Adityaraja who dubbed it the Mahabalachetiya (Great Power Chedi). The present structure, now known as the Mahabol Chedi, was rebuilt in 1218 after an earthquake. The smaller chedi, called the Ratana Chedi (Gem Chedi), was possibily built as late as the beginning of the 13th century by King Sabbasiddhi. These late dates are at odds with popular legends surrounding the founding of Wat Ku Kut, which hold that the site was established hundreds of years previously by Queen Chamathewi, who is said to have fired an arrow north from Haripunjaya to pinpoint where the site should be built.

Genearlly speaking, Mon-style chedi architecture comprises a square base surmounted by diminishing square tiers. The wall surfaces of each tier are infilled with standing Buddha figures.