High quality GaN crystals can be grown on sapphire by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. The thermal expansion mismatch between sapphire and GaN produces strain in the GaN crystal as it is cooled from the growth temperature to room temperature. The strain is evidenced by shifts in the photoluminescence and reflectance line positions. By analyzing the surface strain as the crystal thickness is increased, the thickness required to obtain zero surface strain can be estimated. This structure might provide a lattice matched and thermally matched substrate for further epitaxial growth of GaN.