Bagan (, ), formerly
Pagan, is an ancient city in the
Mandalay Division of
Burma. Formally titled
Arimaddanapura or
Arimaddana (the City of the Enemy Crusher) and also known as
Tambadipa (the Land of Copper) or
Tassadessa (the Parched Land), it was the ancient capital of several ancient
kingdoms in
Burma. It is located in the dry central plains of the country, on the eastern bank of the
Ayeyarwady River, 90 miles (145 km) southwest of
Mandalay.
UNESCO has unsuccessfully tried to designate Bagan as a
World Heritage Site. The military junta (
SPDC) has haphazardly restored ancient
stupas, temples and buildings, ignoring original architectural styles and using modern materials that bear no resemblance to the original designs. Likewise, the junta has established a
golf course, a paved highway, and built a 200-foot (61-m) watchtower in the southeastern suburb of Minnanthu.
Architectural styles
The religious buildings of Bagan are often reminiscent of popular architectural styles in the period of their constructions. The most common types are:
- Stupa with a relic-shaped dome
- Stupa with tomb-shaped dome
History
A view of Bagan
The ruins of Bagan cover an area of 16 square miles. The majority of its buildings were built in the 1000s to 1200s, during the time Bagan was the capital of the First Burmese Empire. It was not until King Pyinbya moved the capital to Bagan in
AD 874 that it became a major city. However, in Burmese tradition, the capital shifted with each reign, and thus Bagan was once again abandoned until the reign of
Anawrahta. In 1057, King
Anawrahta conquered the Mon capital of
Thaton, and brought back the
Tripitaka Pali scriptures, Buddhist monks and craftsmen and all of these were made good use of in order to transform Bagan into a religious and cultural centre. With the help of a monk from Lower Burma, Anawrahta made
Theravada Buddhism a kind of state religion, and the king also established contacts with
Sri Lanka. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Bagan became a truly cosmopolitan centre of Buddhist studies, attracting monks and students from as far as India, Sri Lanka as well as the Thai and
Khmer kingdoms. Among many other works,
Aggavaṃsa's influential
Saddanīti, a
grammar of the language of the
Tipiṭaka, would be completed there in 1154. In 1287, the kingdom fell to the
Mongols, after refusing to pay tribute to
Kublai Khan. Abandoned by the Burmese king and perhaps sacked by the Mongols, the city declined as a political centre, but continued to flourish as a place of Buddhist scholarship.
† Although
Anawrahta is accounted for the founding of Bagan, Thamudarit is listed as the "traditional" founder of Bagan in The
Glass Palace Chronicle (
Hmannan Yazawin).
Cultural sites
thumb|Bagan at dawn, 1999.- Bupaya Pagoda, c.850, demolished by the 1975 earthquake and completely rebuilt
- Dhammayangyi Temple, c.1165, the biggest temple in Bagan, built by Alaungsithu but never finished
- Gawdawpalin Temple, started by Narapatisithu and finished by Nandaungmya, the superstructure destroyed by the 1975 quake and rebuilt
- Myazedi inscription, c. 1113, described as the "Rosetta Stone of Burma" with inscriptions in four languages: Pyu, Mon, Old Burmese and Pali, dedicated to Gubyaukgyi Temple by Prince Rajakumar, son of Kyanzittha
- Nanpaya Temple, c.1060-70, Mon style, believed to be either Manuha's old residence or built on the site
- Sein-nyet Ama & Nyima (temple and pagoda, 13th century)
- Tan-chi-daung Paya, on the west bank, built by Anawrahta
- Thatbyinnyu Temple, the tallest temple at 200 feet (61 m), 12th century, built by Alaungsithu
- Tu-ywin-daung Paya, on the eastern boundary of Bagan, built by Anawrahta
Neighbours
- Thaton (to the south, in modern-day Burma) until subdued in 1057
Sister cities
See also
