Bagan ancient city

Bagan ancient city

Bagan, formerly known as Pagan, was once the capital of the Pagan kingdom that existed from the 9th to the 13th century in central Myanmar today.

Bagan city is currently located in dry land, central Myanmar, on the east bank of the Ayeyarwady River, 145 km southwest of Mandalay, in the Mandalay Region. It has an area of about 25 square miles with hundreds of temples and monasteries. These temples were built between the mid-11th and late 13th centuries, during the transition period from Mahayana Buddhism to Theravada Buddhism. The temples built during this golden age marked the beginning of new Buddhist traditions in Myanmar.

The Pagan dynasty had its golden age from 1057 with the annexation of the Thaton kingdom by King Anawrahta and ended in 1287 when Kublai Khan and his army overran the region. Anawrahta brought back to Bagan many Buddhist relics and scriptures from Thaton along with many artists and architects. He and his successor kings built temples, stupas, etc. for nearly 200 years. Palaces and other royal structures were also built, however, because they were made of wood, they were destroyed over time.

Ananda is the largest temple with the most beautiful architecture in Bagan. The temple is located south of Tharaba gate, in the center of ancient Bagan town. This is also the most sacred and important temple in Myanmar. Ananda was built in 1105 with the temple’s main tower 54 meters high, gilded with extremely prominent gold that visitors can spot from a few kilometers away. Inside, the temple is built in a perfectly symmetrical layout with 4 giant Buddha statues over 9.5 meters high and facing 4 different directions. In addition to the giant Buddha statues, along the wide corridors in the temple, there are many small statues and many wall paintings (frescoes) recounting the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, from the time of his birth, his attainment of fruition until his death.

Thatbyinnyu, one of the beautiful and sacred works of the Buddhist country of Myanmar. Thatbyinnyu is considered the highest temple in Bagan and can be seen at every point in this land. Thatbyinnyu Temple is located on a small hill near Ananda Temple. This is a massive building with the beauty of a Renaissance monastery. Inside the temple there are long, quiet corridors, on both sides are Buddha statues with many different postures and shapes, all covered in sparkling gold.

Mahabodhi was built in the 13th century. This is the only temple with Indian and Bangladeshi architecture in Bagan. The temple’s tower is very special, divided into seven floors symbolizing the seven weeks of the Buddha’s seven-week journey. In terms of architecture and location, Mahabodhi Bagan is completely different from the Buddhist temples and towers in this relic. The temple is not located in the field but inside the capital, a large area of land surrounded by high and thick brick walls. Inside the citadel is the palace of the kings, now completely rebuilt to serve the people. tourism.

On July 6, 2019, UNESCO officially added Bagan to the list of World Heritage Sites.