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Mandalay
Mandalay, the last royal capital of Myanmar
Kingdom was f ounded in 1857 by King Mindon and became royal
capital in 1861. Mandalay is also the second capital of Myanmar
as well as the second gateway to travel by Air to Myanmar. Being
rich with cultural heritage, you can still see considerable
cultural and religious significant places in the city of
Mandalay. It is famous for its traditional artifact and
handicrafts. The legend says that Lord Buddha had made a
prophecy during his visit on the Mandalay Hill that a great city
could be founded at the foot of the hill. Kuthodaw Pagoda with
729 marble inscriptions of three baskets of Buddha Pali cannon,
often called “the world’s Biggest Book” built by King Mindon in
1848 is one of the highlight you should not miss.
Located on the western bank of the river
Ayeyarwaddy, approximately 7 miles north of Mandalay. It is
reached by f erryboats
across the river and takes 1 hour for up-river and 40 minutes
for down-river. It is famous for many Buddhist shrines,
monasteries, meditation centres and monuments of historical and
cultural importance. A boat trip to Mingun is pleasant with
plenty of life on the river to see. It is about 11 miles from
Sagaing and you can reach there by road. It takes about 30
minutes. And you can also travel to Mingun from Mandalay but you
can get there by road. It is about 7 miles up river from
Mandalay and you can accessible only by boat. Via Gawwein jetty.
The journey takes 45 minutes.When you come along the motor way
to Mingun from Sagaing, you will first arrive at Kandawgyi, one
of the prominent big four in Mingun. Kandawgyi was formed while
digging earth to make bricks for building of Mingun Pahtodawgyi.
It was built by King Bodaw Badon in 1791. You will arrive at
Mingun Pahtodawgyi from Kandawgyi .Now, we are here at the
Mingun Pahtodawgyi from the top of the Pagoda you can view the
scene of Mingun and Ayeyawady river. You can use this stair to
climb to the top and there are all together 174 steps.
Sagaing lies 21km south-west of Mandalay on
the west bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. Sagaing became the
capital of an independent Shan kingdom around 1315 after the
fall of Bagan. Its period of importance was short, for in 1364
the founder's grandson, Thado Minbya, moved his capital across
the river to Inwa. From 1760 to 1764, Sagaing was once again the
capital. Today, Sagaing is known as a meditation centre.
Myanmars all over the country would visit Sagaing for the
purpose of religious retreat.
Inwa was formerly known as Yadana Pura. It
was first founded as a capital by King Thado Minbya in 1364 A.D.
It is the confluence of the Ayeyarwaddy & Myint Nge rivers. But
the king had a canal dug to join the Myint Nge and Myint Tha
rivers thus cutting off the capital as an island, safe from
enemy attacks. As successive kings ruled the war with King Raza
Darit of Bago for many years, the Shan chief Thohan Bwa took the
advantage and overran the capital. Gradually the kingdom grew
weaker and finally it became a vassal to the Taungoo Empire.
Later kings shifted the capital from Inwa back and forth many
times until King Bayint Naung's son King Nyaung Yan
re-established his capital at Inwa in 1596 A.D. It continued to
be capital till 1782 when Bodawpaya moved the capital to
Amarapura. But his son King Bagyidaw moved his capital back to
Inwa. It was destroyed by the earthquake of 1838. The ruins of
the palace, the massive fort walls and moat can still be seen of
the splendour of the past when it had been the capital for more
than four and half centuries. Inwa lies south of Mandalay and
can from there in only 30 minutes of drive be attained. This old
king city was long time capital of Oberburma. The foreign
country was at present well-known Myanmar as the Kingdom of
Ava.The king palace at that time does not exist any longer,
however still the Nanmyint awake tower. From 27 meters height of
bird perspective one can examine the range of the historical
place. Numerous pagodas, temple and monasteries outlasted
however Inwas' eventful past. The monastery Maha Aung Myay Bon
Zan built with brick and stucco is particularly interesting. It
was established to 1818 by the queen Me Nu for the royal abbot
at that time U Po.
Lies on the left bank of the Ayarwaddy River.
A suburb of Mandalay, it is also known as Taung-myo (Southern
Town) or Myohaung (Old City) which is founded by King Bodawpaya
in 1783 as his new capital. Amarapura means City of Immortality.
Amarapura was the capital city of Myanmar, during the Konbaung
Dynasty. It was founded by King Bodawpaya in 1782 AD, as the
king transferred the capital from Innwa (or Ava). King Bagyidaw,
grandson of Bodawpaya shifted the capital back to Innwa in 1823,
but King Tharrawaddy his successor again took the capital back
to Amarapura in 1837 and it remained as the capital until King
Mindon built Mandalay in 1857 and shifted the capital there in
1860.
It is 69 km away from Mandalay and over 1000
m above sea level. Pyin Oo Lwin is well-known for its colonial
style housing with pine trees, eucalyptus and silver oak. It is
cool and pleasant the whole year round. Botanical garden of 175
hectare with beautiful flowers, Pwe Kauk and Ani sakan
waterfalls and Peik Chin Myaung Cave attract the visitors with
tranquil beauties. |
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