MANDALAY
Mandalay was the last capital of Myanmar before the British took over and for this reason it still has great importance as a cultural center.Mandalay still has considerable cultural and religious significance and its Buddhist monasteries are
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among the most important it in the country about 60% the monks in Myanmar reside that Mandalay residents speak better Burmese than anyone else in the country.The palace was constructed in 1857 and completed in 1861, in Myanmar traditional architectural styled.The majority of monuments including the palace, palace walls, pagodas and monasteries were built soon after.There are many interesting edifices of cultural and religious importance and Buddhist monasteries with beautiful woodcarvings and masterpieces of Myanmar Masonry.Mandalay is best known not only for it's rich traditional, cultural and spiritual splendor but also exquisite handicraft such as hand-woven embroidery in silk and cotton, the incredible process of making gold leaves, wood and stone carving and bronze casting etc. |
Mandalay is now Myanmar 's second largest city, with a population of over two million.There are several ancient capitals around Mandalay such as Amapura, Sagaing, Ava, Mingun where Kongboung dynasty kings used to rule respectively.Located 650 km north of Yangon, the second largest city of Myanmar can be reached by air, rail, road or river; Flying is the best way to travel.Travel by train or car takes about 15 hours.Rudyard Kipling's "The Road to Mandalay ," made the name of the last capital of Myanmar kings familiar even to those who had never heard of Myanmar or Burma.Founded by King Mindon, the penultimate Myanmar King, in 1857, his Golden City was completed in 1859, and he moved from Amarapura to the new capital in 1861.
His son and successor King Thibaw lost Mandalay to the British who took it as well as the all of Myanmar after the Third Anglo-Myanmar War in 1885-1886. lthough it suffered considerable damage in the fierce fighting at end of world war 2 Mandalay fort was completely burnt out there is still much to be seen both in Mandalay and in the surrounding deserted cities of the old capitals. |
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 Mandalay Royal Palace
 Royal Palace called Nanmyo in Burmese.The palace was built in the early 1860s by King Mindon and was decorated with elaborate woodcarvings.The original buildings were very ornate and made of teak, which was carved lacquered gilded or covered with glass mosaics.The whole magnificent palace complex was destroyed by fire during the World War II.Now the palace has been partially reconstructed in concrete.
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Mandalay Hill
Today, the hill's 1,729 steps take about 30 minutes to climb (it is necessary to remove your shoes).The famous hermit monk, U Khanti, is credited with inspiring the construction of many of the buildings on and around the hill in the years after the founding of the city.
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| Kuthodaw Pagoda
 King Mindon built Kuthodaw Pagoda in 1857.The Paya complex has been dubbed the world's biggest book, for standing around the central stuba are 729 marble slabs on which are inscribed the entire Buddhist canon, or Tripitaka.Each slab is housed in its own individual small stupa.It took an editorial committee numbering over 200 to produce the original slabs.It has been estimated that, reading for eight hours a day, one person would take 450 days to read the complete book.
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Mahamuni Paya
The Mahamuni Paya or Great Sage Paya.It is also sometimes called Payagyi, Big Paya, or the Yakhine Paya.The Image in sitting posture is 12 feet and 7 inches (3.8 meters) high.It was brought to Mandalay from Yakhine State during the reign of King Bodawpaya in 1784.In 1884 the shrine was destroyed by fire, the current one is comparatively recent.
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Sandamuni Pagoda
 The Sandamuni Pagoda enshrines an iron image of the Buddha cast in 1802 by Bodawpaya and transported here from Amarapura in 1874.Around the stupa lies a large collection of marble slabs inscribed with commentaries on the Buddhist canon.King Mindon's temporary palace used while the new Mandalay palace was under construction. |
Atumashi Kyaung
It was built by King Mindon in 1857.Atumashi kyaung or Incomparable monastery was of traditional Burmese monastic construction a masonry base topped by a wooden building but of the usual multi roofed design it consisted
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of graduated rectangular terraces.By all accounts it was one of the most magnificent temples in all of South East Asia.Inside was famous Buddha image clothed in the King's silk clothing and with a huge diamond set on the forehead.The image was stolen in 1885, during the British takeover of the city. |
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Mandalay Museum
This mildly interesting museum contains a collection of Mandalay regalia, royally commissioned art and palm leaf manuscripts that were formerly housed in the palace.Most of the articles date from the reigns of the last tow Mandalay King's Mindon and Thibaw. |
Eindawya Pagoda
Build by King Pagan Min of Amarapura in 1847 on the site of his home before he became king.It is well proportioned and is gilded from top to bottom.The Buddha image is made from chalcedony, a combination of quartz and opal.
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Kyaukdawgyi Pagoda
 The construction of which commenced in 1853 and was completed in 1878 by King Mindon.Originally styled on the Ananda Pagoda in Bagan.The Image was carved out of a huge single block of marble and sculpted.It was hauled to its position by nearly 10,000 men and took 13 days to transport the marble. Around the shrine are figures of the Buddha's 80 arahats (disciples), arranged in groups of 20 on each of the four sides. Mandalay 's bbiggest festival is held here for seven days in early to mid-October to commemorate Thadingyut.
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Setkyathiha Pagoda
It contains a 5m high bronze Buddha cast at Inwa in 1814 by King Bagyidaw.It was moved to Amarapura by King Pagan in 1849 and brought to Mandalay in 1884.The Bodhi tree at the entrance was planted by U Nu, the first Prime Minister of independent Burma. |
Shwekyimyin Pagoda
 Prince Minshinzaw founded Shwekyimyin Pagoda in 1167 during the Bagan period.The shrine is notable because it contains the original Buddha image consecrated by the prince.It also contains many other images made of gold, silver or crystal, which were collected by Burmese kings.
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Shwe-in-bin
One of the famous interesting monasteries in Mandalay.It is built of teak has Burmese carved doors and paintings depicting General Prendergast negotiating with court minister prior to king Thibaw's exile.
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Shwenandaw monastery
 Shwenandaw monastery is means Golden Palace Monastery in Burmese.It was originally built inside the Mandalay Palace but King Thibaw moved it to the present site in 1880.It is made of carved teak with glass mosaic and is heavily gilded inside.The Golden Palace is still in use as a monastery and is now under its 4th abbot.
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| AROUND MANDALAY REGION |
Sagaing
Sagaing is 20 km southwest of Mandalay on the opposite bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River.The Sagaing Hills About 10 km from Sagaing is the Kaunghmudaw, an enormous dome-shaped pagoda built by King Thalun in
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1636, on the model of the Mahaceti Pagoda of Sri Lanka.The Sagaing (Ava) Bridge built in 1934 links Mandalay and Sagaing across the Ayeyarwaddy River.It is popularly known as Little Bagan as the Sagaing ridge is crowded with around 600 pagodas and monasteries in which there are more than 3,000 monks.There are nearly 100 meditations center in the Sagaing area.Sagaing Bridge, Kaungmudaw paya, Sagaing Hill. |
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| Amarapura
 Situated about 11 km south of Mandalay.The old name means City of Immortality but Amarapura's period as capital was brief.Amarapura is one of the capitals of the third Myanmar Empire.Amarapura was also the site for the first British embassy in Myanmar in 1795.A 1,208-metre long wooden bridge built totally with teak planks two centuries ago by Alderman U Pein, is the longest wooden bridge in Myanmar.It spans Taungthaman Lake, situated near Amarapura, with its farther end at Kyauktawgyi Pagoda.Bagaya Monastery and silk-weaving industries there are places of interest to visit Kwa yen chinese temple.U Pein bridge, Bagaya Monastery, Kwa Yen Chinese Temple.
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In-Wa
A few km south of Amarapura.In-Wa, founded in 1364 by King Thado Minbya, is another ancient capital, and for a time, early travelers knew Myanmar as In-wa. It is noted for the Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery and Mae Nu Oak
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Kyaung, which are the fine examples of Myanmar masonry, art and architecture. |
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Mingun
 Mingun located about 11 km upriver from Mandalay, on the west bank of the Ayeyawaddy River, Mingun has a gigantic unfinished pagoda, 50 meters high, overlooking the river, and the 90-ton Mingun Bell, the largest ringing bell in the world cast in 1170 by King Bodawpaya.A 45 minutes boat trip to Mingun is very pleasant with plenty of life on the river to see. |
Monywa
It lies 136km north west of Mandalay along the Mandalay Budalin branch railway line but is best reached by bus.Places of interest include Thanbokde Pagoda, with over 500,000 Buddha images; Bodhi-ta-taung (one thousand Bo trees).
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Ledi Kyaungtaik, a teaching monastery where Buddhist scriptures are inscribed on 806 stone slabs: and Kyaukka Village, known for its own distinctive style of lacquerware.
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Maymyo (Pyin-Oo-Lwin)
 During the British annexation of Myanmar, Pyin Oo Lwin was renamed Maymyo after a British Colonel May (Maymyo means May town).The principal hill station and summer retreat of the colonial period, Pyin-Oo-Lwin is 67 km away from Mandalay.It is over 1,000 meters above the sea level and thus has a pleasantly cool weather all the year round.The 142-hecter well laid-out Botanical Garden, scenic Pwe-kauk Waterfalls, Chinese Temple in addition to British built colonial buildings are places worth visiting. Nearby are Peik-chin-hmyaung Cave and Gokteik Rail Bridge.The town itself is easygoing and full of interest a good place for an evening stroll or an interesting morning spent around the markets.
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