The great temples were built from the period of King Anawratha, in 1044 AD up until the Mongol Invasion of 1287 AD, and were the heart of a once mighty city. As with the more famous ancient site at Angkor in Cambodia, the ordinary wooden dwellings of the city’s infrastructure have entirely disappeared, with only the brick structures remaining.

Following the 1975 earthquake, UNESCO, armed with a one million dollar budget, spent fifteen years on restoring the monuments. Unlike the site at Angkor, however, the Bagan site has not been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status because of the numerous subsequent and contentious restoration projects, which have taken place, with little regard to archaeological accuracy and the poor quality of some repair work.

Nevertheless, the monuments on the plain of Bagan remain a wonderful insight into the ancient civilisation of the Bamar people, and are well worth the exploration.


Ananda Temple is one of the finest and largest temples of Bagan, fully restored after suffering damage in the 1975 earthquake. Built around 1105, this temple heralds the stylistic end of the early Bagan period and the beginning of the Middle period. There are four large wooden Buddha figures, two of whose facial expressions appear to change as you approach them.

Dhammayangyi Temple, built during the 12th century by Kalagya Min, resembles a pyramid when viewed from the side with impressive mortar-less brickwork. The king demanded that the bricks fit together so tightly that not even a pin could fit between them, otherwise (it is said), he would have the workers hands cut off.


Shwezigon Pagoda was started by Anawratha but completed under the reign of Kyanzittha (1084-1113), its graceful bell shape becoming the prototype for Myanmar's pagodas. The Shwezigon, marking the northern edge of the city, supposedly enshrines one of the four Buddha tooth replicas from Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Upali Thein is one of few ordination halls still standing; most such buildings were wooden and have long since disappeared. It takes its name from Upali, a well-known monk, and features some brightly painted late 17th and early 18th century frescos.

Mingalazedi, known as the “blessing stupa”, was built in 1277 by Narathihapati. Noted for its many beautiful glazed Jataka tiles, it is an excellent spot for a pleasant afternoon view, located on the far western extent of the Bagan Plain.

Thatbyinnyu Temple, built in the 12th century by Alaungsithu, is Bagan’s highest building, at 61 meters. Its size and design make it a classic example of Middle Bagan period architecture.

Dhammayazika Pagoda, similar in appearance to the Shwezigon Pagoda, was built in 1196 by Narapatisithu upon a pentagonal terrace with five small temples, each containing a Buddha image. Gawdawpalin Temple, considered the crowning achievement of the Late Bagan period, is one of Bagan’s largest and most imposing temples. Badly damaged in the 1975 earthquake, its ensuing reconstruction was one of the largest such efforts undertaken after the earthquake.

Gu-Byauk-Gyi, dating from the 13th century, features very fine frescos representing scenes of Buddha`s life.




The archaeological site's most important features are the Royal Palace, in which the modern museum is housed, and the temples of Andaw, Shittaung, Dukkanthein, Shwetaung and Laymyetnha.

The city was subsumed into Burma in 1785, and was later annexed by the British Raj, whereupon it subsequently fell into disuse.


Nestled between these two remarkable archaeological sites, Nat Ma Taung National Park, surrounds the mountain of the same name, formerly known in colonial times as Mount Victoria, at an altitude of 3,035 metres (9,957 feet), Myanmar’s second highest peak.

Aside from climbing the mountain, which can be achieved by any relatively fit person, the area is a premier birdwatching spot, home to the rare endemic White-browed Nuthatch. Other activities include trekking through the upland terrain, visiting and staying with local tribal communities.