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Mandalay

Last capital of Myanmar kingdom and Myanmar's second largest city and well known the country's cultural heartland. Founded by King Mindon in 1857, his Golden City was completed in 1859 and he moved from Amarapura to the new capital in 1861. Historically it is the most typical of the country's large cities, a place where it comes close to the heart of Myanmar. Mandalay is best known not only for it's rich traditional, cultural and spritual 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. 
 

Interesting Places

• Mandalay Palace

• Mandalay Hill

• Shwenandaw Monastery

• Atumashi Monastery

• Kuthodaw Pagoda

• Mahamuni Paogda

• Gold leaf making

• Myanmar traditional handicraft workshops

• Marble stone carving

• Wood carving, Bronze making and Tapestry making.

Mandalay Palace

The whole palace complex was destroyed by fire during the War. The palace walls, the four gates and the moat still stand today as evidence of the majestic palace city. A number of palace buildings have been reconstructed within the premises.
 

Mandalay Hill

Mandalay Hill, 230 metres in elevation, commands a magnificent view of the city and surrounding countryside. The legend has it that the Buddha, on this visit, had made a prophecy that a great city would be founded at the foot of this Hill.

Shwenandaw Monastery

This beautifully built monastery was originally inside the palace compound. King Thibaw had it moved to its present site east of the palace in 1879 after his father's death.

Mahamuni Pagoda

King Bodawpaya built this pagoda in 1784 to house the Mahamuni Buddha Image brought from Rakhine State. Being the most revered pagoda in Mandalay, the early morning ritual of washing the face of the Buddha's Image draws a daily crowd of devotees.

Kuthodaw Pagoda

King Mindon built this pagoda in 1868, surrounding it with 729 marble slabs inscribed with the Tipitaka text. It is often called the "World's Biggest Book".

Atumashi Monastery

Not too far from the Kuthodaw pagoda is the Atumashi Monastery, built in 1878 by King Mindon and partially destroyed by fire in 1890. It was rebuilt in 1996.

Kyauktawgyi Pagoda

Kyauktawgyi Pagoda also built by King Mindon stands at the foot of Mandalay Hill. It was built in 1865, the pagoda is so called cause it houses a large image of the Buddha sculpted from a single block of beautiful Sagyin marble.

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