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Bagan

Destinations

Yangon
Mandalay
Bagan
Inle Lake
Kyaikhtiyo
Kyaing Tonge
Ngapali Beach
Mrauk - U

Bagan

The ruins of the city of Bagan Located 190 km south of Mandalay, are the most impressive relics of the first period of Myanmar greatness from 11th to 13 th Century With Over 2000 temples and monuments Bagan is the richest archaeological site in Asia

Environs is Mount Popa, an extinct volcano about 80 km south of Bagan is known as the abode of legendary Nats or Spirit gods.

Although Bagan is not the major population centre in the area, it is the most renowned tourist centre in Myanmar. Bagan is situated right on the bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. Boats will be passing by or pausing to unload goods, villagers will come down to the river with oxen carts to collect water. Bagan has an interesting market close to the road.

Bagan Museum

An interesting small museum stands close to the Ananda Temple. It has on display a large number of images and other fine works found in temples around Bagan.

Sarabha Gateway

The ruins of the main gate on the east wall are all that remain of the old 9th century city. The gate is guarded by brother and sister nats, the male on the left, the female on the right. Traces of old stucco can still be seen on the gateway.

Ananda Temple

One of the finest, largest and best preserved of the Bagan temples, the Ananda suffered considerable damage in the earthquake and in 1979 reconstruction took place. Built in 1091 by Kyanzittha, the temple is said to represent the endless wisdom of the Buddha. The central square has sides of 53 metres (175 feet) and rises in terraces to a hti 51 metres (168 feet) above the ground. In the centre of the cube are four standing Buddhas images, nine and a half metres [31 feet) high. Only those facing north and south are original, the east and west facing images are replacements for the figures destroyed by fires. The base and the terraces are decorated with a great number of glazed tiles showing scenes from the Jataka. In the western sanctum, there are life size statues of the temples founder and his Primate while in the west porch there are two footprints of the Lord Buddha, on pedestals.

Shwegugyi Temple

Built by Alaungsithu in 131 1, this temple is an early example of a transition in architectural styles which resulted in airy, lighter buildings. The temple is also no- table for its fine stucco canings and for the stone slabs in the inner Wall, which tell its history including the fact that its construction took seven months.

Thatbyinnyu Temple

The highest temple in Bagan, the “omniscience” temple rises to 61 metres (200 feet) and was built by Alaungsithu around the mid-12th century. Repairs to earthquake damage were completed in 1979. Slightly south-west of the Thatbyinnyu in a monastery compound there are stone supports which once held the temp1e’s huge bronze bell. North-east of the temple stands a small “tally pagoda“ which was built of one brick for every 10,000 bricks used in the main temple.

Pitakat Taik

Following the sack of Thaton, King Anawrahta carted off 30~elephant loads of Buddhist scriptures and built this library to house them in 1058. It was repaired in 1738. The architecture of the square building is notable for the perforated stone windows and the plaster carvings on the roof in imitation of Myanmar wood carvings.

Thandawgya Image

This six metre (19 feet) high stone image of the Buddha was built in 1284.

Sulamani Temple

Sulamani Temple looks like the Htilominlo and the Gawdawpalin in architecture but with better interior lighting. It stands beyond the Dhammayangyi Temple and was built in 1181 by Narapatisithu. The interior was once painted with fine frescoes but only traces can be seen today.

Bupaya Pagoda

Right on the bank of the Ayeyarwaddy, this pagoda has been claimed to be the oldest in Bagan, dating from the 3rd century AD. It was completely destroyed when it tumbled into the river by the earthquake in 1975, but has been completely rebuilt.

Mahabodhi Pagoda

Modelled after Indian style temples, this pagoda is unique in Myanmar. It was built during the reign of Nantaungmya (1211-1234). The pyramidal spire, covered in niches each enclosing a seated Buddha figure, rises from a square block.

Shwesandaw Pagoda

Following his conquest of Thaton, this very graceful circular pagoda was built by Anawrahta in 1057. The five terraces once had terra-cotta plaques showing scenes from the Jataka. The pagoda bell rises from two octagonal bases which top the five square terraces. Close to the Shwesandaw stands the Lawkahteikpan Temple – small but interesting for its excellent frescoes and inscriptions in both Myanmar and Mon.

Shinbinthalyaung

Situated right beside the Shwesandaw, this long, brick built, shed-like structure houses an 18 metre (60 feet) long reclining Buddha of 11th century.

Dhammayangyi Temple

Slmilar in plan to the Ananda, this later temple is much more massive looking. It was built by King Narathu (1160-65). The interior of the temple is blocked by brickwork. The Dhammayangyi is the finest brickwork of Bagan.

Nathlaung Kyaung

Slightly to the east of the Thatbyinnyu this is the only Hindu temple remaining in Bagan, It was built in 931 by King Taungthugyi, this was about a century before the southern school of Buddhism came to Bagan following the conquest of Thaton. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and around the outside wall are figures of the “ten Avatars”, Gautama Buddha was said to be the ninth among them. The temple may have been built by Indian settlers in Bagan – possibly the skilled workers brought to construct other temples.

Gawdawpalin Temple

One of the largest and most imposing of the Bagan temples, the Gawdawpalin was built during the reign of Narapatisithu (1l74-1211) but was very badly damaged by the earthquake in 1975, The reconstruction was started in early ’79. In plan, it is somewhat similar to the Thatbyinnyu – cube shaped with Buddha images on the four sides of the ground floor. The top of the stupa, before it fell, reached 55 metres [180 feet) high.