North of the old city, behind the Muang Chiang Mai sports stadium, photogenic Wat Ku Tao dates from 1613 and incorporates many Burmese and Confucian elements. The distinctive chedi is said to resemble a stack of watermelons, hence the name (tao means 'melon' in the Northern Thai dialect). Contained inside are the ashes of Tharawadi Min, son of the Burmese king Bayinnaung, who ruled over Lanna from 1578 to 1607.
