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Kamphaeng Phet/Cha Kang Rao's sister city on the opposite bank of the Ping River is even older. Its fortification and temple ruins are however in a worse state of preservation. Unlike on the other bank, there is no actual park with fence, cashier, and trim paths, but the ruins are simply dispersed among the landscape, widely ignored by locals and tourists alike. The only historic temple that is still in use, is Wat Phra Borommathat (see below, in the temples section).
Old temple with a beautiful, three metre high, Chiang Saen-style Buddha statue in the "calling the earth to witness" posture.
วัดพระบรมธาตุ
This temple is one of the oldest in Kamphaeng Phet (its history probably dates back to the 14th century) and the only ancient monastery of the historical park that is not a ruin but still active. Its most visible feature is the tall, gold-covered pagoda in Burmese Mon style that can be seen from afar. Originally, the chedi was Sukhothai-style, but it was redesigned during a renovation from 1870 to 1907, sponsored by a rich timber merchant. The temple compound also hosts the "Nakhon Chum cultural centre" in a traditional teak building, with a collection of all kinds of antique objects, that however lack explanations (at least in English).
Old temple in the town centre whose history dates to c. 1600. The present buildings date from the 1850s. Notable is the ho trai, i.e., the monastery's library, a traditional wooden house standing on stilts amid a water ditch. Its roof is covered with characteristic fish-scale shaped tiles. The ubosot is nice to look at too, especially at dusk when the colourful glass elements of the elaborately decorated pediment shimmer.
Landmark and central orientation point. It is made of laterite, thus referring to the ancient monuments of the historical park, that consist of the same material. With its castle-like shape and crenelations, it is also a nod to the city's name: "diamond wall". The bodhi (sacred fig) tree on the other side of the roundabout is used by locals as a meeting point.