Mandalay is the capital of Mandalay Division in Central Myanmar and located around the heart of Myanmar. In dealing with the respective region, nearly all the historic ancient cities, such as Bagan, Innwa and Amarapura are scattered in this area.
The newest ancient city of Myanmar monarchs, it is located round about at the center of Myanmar and ever associated with its grand palace named “Mya-nan-san-kyaw”. It is highly regarded as the center of traditional arts and handicrafts like those of wood carving, tapestry, and stone-carving and so on.
All the 114 buildings are functionally set on a high brick platform in rectangle ground plan encircled by a high brick wall with gates and water moat at outer perimeter. Most of the buildings were damaged so reconstructed later.
One of the grand palace buildings was so intentionally dismantled and reset as the beautiful monastery at the foot of Mandalay Hill then called the monastery of golden palace. The best and most proportionate wood carvings can still be visible originally.
Best known as the biggest book all over the world, a complete set of Buddha’s teaching named Tri-pitaka is engraved on 729 marble slabs of exact dimension, each housing inside a Sinhale stupa on a spacious land, at the foot of Mandalay Hill too.
The glory and mile-stone of the city, it is isoloatedly come up about 230 meter high and well covered with religious monuments, white-washed stupas, covered stair-ways amidth the shady tree. It is the best point for panoramic view and usually crowded at sun-set.
Regarding to the thick gold on the body resulted by the daily application of soft gold leaves of pilgrim, it is so called as the soft gold Buddha and most venerated Buddha in the region. The temple is similar to Versailles Palace of Pains and ancient Khmer bronze figures can also be viewed in the same vicinity.
Known as May Myo for years, it is, in no doubt, the prettiest hill-station and summer resort in Myanmar. A number of beautiful mansions in mocked Tudor and Scottish cottage in terrace setting, temperate weather with colorful flowers around the year have assumed it “The Little England of the East”, and enchanted film makers through out the history. Natural waterfalls, streams with picturesque scenery are so impressive and meant for breathe taking.
Bestowed upon the grand donor, it is called Purcell Clock Tower and mark of the town. By the different melodious tunes, it is operated by Westminster Chime system.
Among the picnic spots in the town, it is the most famous site and visiting worthwhile on beautiful setting, a variety of horticultural flowers, museum buildings for orchids, butterflies and fossil woods.
Among the famous visiting sites and natural water-falls, it is the most beautiful and largest of its kind in the town. It is flowing down from about 200 feet high and located 1000 feet down to the foot of chasm with least spoiled nature.
If time permitted, Mandalay-Lashio Road with a series of stalls, Pyidawchit Buddha image, colonial buildings should be enjoyed in the town area.
In comparison with its small size and simple beauty, Mingun is better known as one of the sites for day trippers and picnic takers on its big monuments together with paintings and souvenirs.
These are now locating on the western bank of Ayerwaddy River left their hinder parts only. After the completion, they were the largest figures of its kind and largely ruined at 1838 by a serious earthquake.
Supposed to be the largest and highest stupa in Myanmar, may be over the world, it still reflects immense type and grandeur even in its unfinished state. The crackling lines on the structure reveals perishable nature and somehow mysterious beauty.
Being one of the greatest bells over the world, it is the commonest visiting in that small village. The advantage of the bell is that it is hanging type and usually emits an ethereal sound by striking while other ground type bell cannot perform so.
It is the prettiest monument on architectural peculiarity and so erected in this style representing Buddhist cosmology. Except for the circular ground plan, it is closely resembled in theme and concept to Borobudur in Indonesia.
If you are lucky enough, the intelligent Ayeyarwaddy Dolphins could be viewed on the way.
It is one of the historic ancient cities and best known as the weaving center thus the tackling sound of the shuttle is normally filled in the air resulting such a variety of designs and patterns are created at any time.
Residing over one thousand monks at the same monastic complex, this is the best place to study the daily life of Buddhist monks. Lining to enter the dining hall and having lunch in great modesty are favorite scenery for tourists. More than that, the book on Buddha’s teaching can be available at the same point.
Like a vast inland sea, it usually shares really live activities of gardeners, fishers in their daily life of local people and the bridge together with the lake ever stands for romantic beauty. The ducks, drivers steering their forces seem to be draining and parade.
Spanning over the respective lake, it is the most prominent thing and glory of the site. Highly regarded as the longest wooden bridge over the world, it is composed by about 1000 immense teak pillars and traditional mortised joint system then usually crowded in the morning and late evening.
Narrating the life story of Gautama Buddha in India for countries ago, it is so beautifully erected as the Buddha is seating on the crest and under the hook of the dragon facing to lake eastward.
Locating on a triangle shape island bound by Ayeyarwaddy River and Myitnge (small) River, it is highly regarded as the strategic location and frequently marked as the capital along the course of history. In dealing with the beautiful city plan, Thai was so impressed and built their ancient Ayudhaya in simulation of Inn Wa.
Regarding to traditional monastic architecture in Myanmar, it is one of fine examples in which the entire monastery is lifted by about 250 gigantic teak pillars. The shrine hall, connecting passage, main hall and provision hall are serially erected in solar alignment system. Not so far form that, there is a cluster of pagodas collectively known as Wingabar Pagoda as one of the temple is having wooden Wingabar meaning maze inside.
This is the only palace building left in situ inside the ruined city wall. Known as Pisa Tower on its learning position in olden days, it was restraighten later for preservation by Archaeology Department.
This is also a grand monastery erected by not teak pillars but by brick. Even at a casual look, it seems more like a defensive fort than a monastery and the corbelled arch system of Bagan era is reshaped in it.
Next to them, Kedah fort by the river and Lay-Htat-Gyi monastery as well as traditional cottage industry of iron alms-bowl should be studied.
It is a lesser known region for years but becoming a common routing for international travelers and Monywa is the capital with while Sagaing is an ancient city with some historic sites.
In comparison with the town, the hill-range is much more popular and one of the best rain retreats for a number of Buddhist Order. Uminthonze, Ponnyashin and Sitagu Complex are common visiting sites while the last may be most interested in pictures of Buddhist monuments over the world.
In simulation of Sanchi in India, the focus is on prominent dome visible at a distance and encircled a series of stone lamppost at the base. Many stalls are selling “Thanakha” a traditional beautifier of Myanmar.
