The Pratu Ma City Wall of Khelang Nakhon is one of the most significant historical remnants of the ancient city of Lampang, once known as Khelang Nakhon. Located in Wiang Nuea area of Mueang Lampang, this ancient wall represents an important part of the city's defensive system and reflects the architectural and urban planning wisdom of the Lanna Kingdom.

According to local legends, Khelang Nakhon was founded in 1230 BE (Buddhist Era) and designed with a distinctive city layout resembling a conch shell. The original city wall stretched approximately 4,400 meters in circumference, forming a strong protective barrier around the city.

The city originally had seven main gates. These included Pratu Ma Gate to the north, Pratu Pha Bong, Pratu Tha Nang Liao, and Pratu Ton Phueng to the east, Pratu Pong to the south, and Pratu Nok Kot along with Pratu Tan to the west. Each gate served as an important entrance to the city and played a vital role in trade, transportation, and defense.

Among these, Pratu Ma Gate was particularly important because it served as the northern entrance used by royal convoys and cavalry in ancient times. The name “Pratu Ma,” meaning Horse Gate, is believed to originate from the passage of war horses and royal transportation moving in and out of the city.

The remaining wall section seen today is constructed from large baked clay bricks in traditional Lanna style. Some areas still reveal traces of battlements and observation points used by soldiers to guard the city. These structures demonstrate the advanced defensive engineering techniques used between the 14th and 17th centuries.

Later, as the city expanded toward the southwest of the original settlement, a second phase of Khelang Nakhon was established. This expanded city covered around 180 rai and had a new wall measuring about 1,100 meters in circumference, along with three additional gates: Pratu Chiang Mai, Pratu Na Soi, and Pratu Plai Na, marking the continued growth of Lampang in later periods.

Today, the remaining section of the Pratu Ma city wall has been preserved and restored by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand. The surrounding area has been landscaped into a peaceful green space where visitors can walk, explore the historical structure, and enjoy the quiet charm of Lampang’s old town district.

---

How to Get There

• By Car: From the Lampang Clock Tower intersection, cross Ratsadaphisek Bridge into the Wiang Nuea old town area. Continue along Pratu Ma Road toward Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao. The ancient city wall can be clearly seen along the roadside, and parking is available nearby.

• Horse Carriage: This site is one of the popular stops along Lampang’s traditional horse carriage city tour route, where drivers often pause for visitors to take photos of the historic wall.

---

Travel Tips

• Take photos from a low angle to capture the impressive height_ and texture of the ancient brick wall

• The best lighting for photography is between 07:30 – 09:00 AM when sunlight highlights the red bricks beautifully

• You can easily walk to Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao Suchadaram, located nearby

• This site is part of the Wiang Nuea Old Town walking route in Lampang

• Avoid climbing the ancient wall to help preserve this historic structure

---

Admission Fee:

• Free entry

Opening Hours:

• Open 24 hours
  Recommended visiting time: 07:00 AM – 06:00 PM