Where is Bagan Myanmar located? Bagan (Pagan), Myanmar is the largest temple complex in the world. Why Bagan is interesting

Oh Bagan. The first day.

While on Inle Lake, in Indein, we met Russian tourists who were already completing their trip to Burma. And when we asked what they liked more, they unanimously answered – BAGAN! So what is Bagan?

Now these are ruins occupying a vast area, ruins of temples and pagodas, ruins of religious buildings, most of which were built during the period of the 11th-13th centuries, when Bagan was the capital of the kingdom. It was in Bagan that the Golden Age of the Burmese Empire took place. In 1057, King Anoratha took possession of the capital of the Mon kingdom and confiscated ancient manuscripts, took away Buddhist monks, artists and artisans to turn Bagan into a cultural center. Bagan became a center of science, religion and culture, one of the largest cities in the world. Temples and pagodas were built over two centuries. It is difficult to say how many temples there were here. According to some sources, before the arrival of the Mongols there were about 5,000 of them. In 1287, the Bagan kingdom was occupied by the Mongols. This was preceded by a battle during which the Burmese army lined up its powerful war elephants. But the Mongols began to shoot from bows at the eyes of the elephants, and they trampled their own infantry. The city was sacked, the golden pagodas were stripped, and numerous religious relics were stolen. Bagan fell into disrepair...

Now Bagan is like a big village, it’s very quiet, calm, lazy. After the crazy Mandalay, this was especially noticeable. Entry into the territory of Bagan costs $10 per tourist - after all, this is a historical site.

Having rested a little at the hotel after the move, we went out into the world. We rented two bicycles and went to explore Bagan. But first, three organizational points: currency exchange, breakfast and a map.

The card was issued at the hotel, but it’s quite mediocre, so it’s still better to buy it. They didn’t change money at the hotel, but they willingly changed it at the large Shwe War Thein souvenir shop; there is a sign to it from the road. The course is good, the store itself is also good. We had breakfast with traditional chicken curry in some local cafe without a name. The main tourist center of old Bagan is located in the area of the Ananda Temple - there are cafes and restaurants, almost supermarket-type shops, souvenir shops and horse-bicycle rentals. It takes 20 minutes to walk from the hotel, 7 minutes by bike.

On the first day we got the following route: Gawdapalin Temple - Mahabodi Temple - BuPaya Pagoda - Ananda Temple - Shwe San daw Pagoda.

Gawdawpalin Temple

This temple was the very first from our hotel. So naturally we started with him. Gawdawpalin was built in the 11th century. One of the oldest and most revered temples in Bagan. The temple is 60m high, square in shape, with images of Buddha on each side, there are 10 of them in the temple. The temple has two floors, but the entrance to the second tier is now closed, due to the fact that the structure is very ancient and the second floor is unsafe. The bans were established just a couple of years ago. Previously, you could climb everywhere.

This was our first temple, the first Buddhas in Bagan, so we looked around it for a long time.

It is worth noting one unpleasant moment - a huge number of people everywhere! And not the tourist people, but the local ones. Although there was also enough tourism. The fact is that we came to Bagan during school holidays and mass holidays, so there were probably even more locals than tourists. They were brought in whole truckloads, this all created a crowd in the temple, and spoiled all the feelings of mystery of the place.

Mahabodi Temple
This temple is significantly different from all the temples in Bagan. It was built on the model of Indian temples in the 13th century. The whole is decorated with statues of a sitting Buddha. Although some niches are empty, the Buddha statues were knocked down by the Mongols during the capture of Bagan. Here and there you can see a remake - the statues have been restored.
On the territory of the temple, a sweet Burmese woman told us the basic rules of behavior in the temple: if you want to smoke, smoke, you can, if you want to sleep, relax, lie down and sleep, you can even drink if you want, the main thing is to take off your shoes and socks before entering the temple territory and not When you sit with your feet facing Buddha, you must either move them under you or put them on the floor, otherwise you end up with disrespect. And so anything is possible, Buddha will not be offended. A good religion is Buddhism)

On the way to BuPaya we were caught in the rain, from which we hid in this nameless pagoda, well, it probably still has a name, but it wasn’t on our map. The locals, despite the rain, lived their lives and went about their business.

Having passed the turn to BuPaya, we came across another “nameless” pagoda, which stood simply in the middle of the vegetable gardens. Here we were caught in the rain again. In general, the weather on the first day was cloudy, but on the one hand this was a plus - there was no extreme heat. The unknown pagoda was all decorated with carvings, with mythical animals in the corners and no one.

Having returned a little back, we finally reached BuPaya.

BuPaya is the oldest of the pagodas of Bagan, it was originally built in 1162, although according to some sources the stupa itself dates back to the third century. It is located on the banks of the Irrawaddy River. During the 1975 earthquake, the stupa collapsed into the water, but was completely restored. This place is also revered by the Burmese, so there were many of them here. There were also a lot of shops, beggars, and cafes. But not all cafes, especially those on the shore, inspired our confidence...

On the shore, near the stupa, there are a lot of boatmen who ride along the river for a fee. By the way, as an option, you can watch the sunset on the Irrawaddy.

Deciding that we had enough temples for today, we wanted to go to the hotel, especially since it was starting to rain again. But first I wanted to have lunch. We had lunch at a restaurant for tourists, right next to the ancient stone gate. Lunch cost 10 thousand kyat for two, but we ate pasta. In fact, it turned out to be just pasta, but after the chicken curry, the pasta had at least some variety.

After lunch, the rain stopped, and the desire to see the pagodas appeared again. And we went to the Ananda Temple, which our Mongol friend told us about on the train.

Ananda Temple
As Lonely planet says, if you have absolutely no time and you can visit one or two temples in Bagan, then one of these temples should be the Ananda Temple - the largest, most majestic, most beautiful and important and revered temple of Bagan. And indeed, this is so. The temple ranks first in my ranking of Bagan temples. And this is the only temple in Bagan that we visited twice.

The temple was built in 1090. It symbolically expresses the infinite wisdom of the Buddha. Its square perimeter (53 m each side) is surrounded by walls. Above them rise 17 stupas up to 51 m high. The temple is a classic religious building of early Bagan. For the 900th anniversary of the temple in 1990, the Ananda stupas were gilded. A long gallery leads to the temple on each side. In the central gallery, as usual, there are souvenir sellers.

In the temple itself there are hundreds of Buddha statues: 4 teak gilded 9.5 meter full-length statues (only two of the four statues are original, and the other two are just copies, the original ones were lost during a fire in 1600) and hundreds of small ones in niches of the high walls of the temple . The entrances to the temple are closed with huge teak doors. During the 1975 earthquake, the temple was badly damaged, but was completely restored. The upper tiers of the temple are closed to visitors.

Despite the huge number of people in the temple, there were practically no people in the courtyard. Here you could sit quietly on benches, looking at the stone statues decorating the temple, enjoy the silence and contemplate the beautiful world around. Free WiFi is expected to be available on the temple premises. We haven't tested how it works.

The silence was broken only by the ringing of the bell. Speaking of which. Almost every large temple has a bell (for some reason we called it a tambourine), which must be struck three times for good luck or a wish. Therefore, hitting the tambourine was a kind of ritual for us, without which not a single visit to the temple was complete.

The time was approaching sunset, and sunsets in Bagan are usually viewed at the top of some pagoda. The most popular and closest place to us is the Shwe San Daw Pagoda - Shwesando. One of the few pagodas now where you can climb and see the views around. It is only 500 meters from Ananda Temple to Shwesando. The literal translation of the pagoda is golden hair, since it was the hair of the Buddha that was placed in the pagoda as a sacred relic. It is believed that this pagoda is the architectural ancestor of all further stupas not only of Bagan, but also of Burma.

When we arrived, there were already a lot of people... We had to climb high up, up a rather steep staircase. People climbed up with cameras and tripods at the ready. The terrace of the pagoda itself is not so big and not rubber... Based on the amount of professional photographic equipment and, in general, all sorts of modern gadgets, it was possible to arrange a whole exhibition. I nervously smoked on the sidelines with my semi-professional DSLR. I have never met so many photographers in one place on one pagoda, except perhaps while watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat, but there the area was larger.

And people kept coming and coming, on bicycles, carts, cars...

But if you tune out the number of tourist people per square meter of the pagoda and look around, it will certainly take your breath away. Pagodas, pagodas, pagodas, temples, large and small, close and distant, barely visible on the horizon - some kind of cosmic and unreal landscape. There was no luck with the sunset that evening; it was cloudy and rainy all day, so the sky was overcast, the sun broke through only a couple of times, amid the enthusiastic oohs and aahs of tourists and hundreds of clicks of camera shutters.

When the sun had completely set, everyone moved down. To avoid creating a crowd, we remained at the top of the pagoda. There was some kind of blue mesmerizing fog spreading below...

Oh Bagan. Second day.

On the second day, we decided to take a horse-drawn cart and see the temples that were far away from us. They bargained the cart for 15 thousand kyats for the whole day (16 dollars), and went to the Shwezigon pagoda, which is located five kilometers from Old Bagan, almost in Nyang U.

Ancient chronicles record that King Anoratha placed the Buddha's headband on the back of a bejeweled white elephant and commanded, "Where the elephant kneels, a stupa will be built to house the sacred relics!" This is how the place was determined. Buddha's tooth, rib and headband are embedded in the base of the Shwezigon Pagoda. The pagoda took 7 years and 7 days to build by two rulers. Translated, it means – The Pledge of Victory. The pagoda is a huge gilded stupa with various pavilions and galleries around it. The pagoda is very revered among the locals; moreover, it is not located in an archaeological zone, so in the morning there were mainly locals here.

They brought Buddha morning gifts and delicacies, prayed and sang songs.

The weather was clearer today, the sun was shining brightly and the gold in the pagoda was simply blinding. Our attention was drawn to a small puddle in front of the stupa, near which there was a crowd of people. The locals took turns kneeling down and looking at something in this puddle. As they explained to us, it is in this place that the spire of the stupa is clearly visible in the reflection of the water.

As usual, the pagoda is approached by a gallery in which the market is located. We walked along the gallery to take a little break from the sun, which was working today and yesterday. As a result, we returned to the cart with T-shirts, three cans of thanaka, coins and other souvenirs; we were unable to avoid the merchants).

Htilominlo Temple

The temple is located between Nyang U and old Bagan. This large temple was built in the form of an even, regular square in 1218 by a king whose name I cannot even pronounce - King Nantaungmya. The king erected this temple in Bagan at this very place because at the moment when he was elected king among the other five brothers, he was located here.

Taking off our shoes, we entered the temple grounds. The temple is notable for the fact that in addition to the Buddha statues (four on each floor on each side of the world), frescoes depicting Buddha are also preserved on its walls. The passage to the upper floors is naturally closed.

In the temple we found a group of monks praying. The spectacle is very authentic and fascinating.

There were carved stone figures preserved on the outer walls of the temple, but going around the temple and looking at them was real torture: the red brick of the temple was simply hot under the midday sun. Therefore, somehow, jumping on one leg, we examined only one side of the temple.

Souvenirs and souvenirs around the temple, there were a lot of them: dolls, T-shirts, bells, paintings….

After Htilominlo Temple we returned to the center of Old Bagan to have lunch. On the way, I observed life around... Bagan is a real village, like Kalaw in Northern Burma. Incomprehensible jalopies, pedicabs, horse-drawn carts, tourists on bicycles - everyone was going about their own business... And all around were temples, pagodas and stupas...

We arrived at the Star Beans restaurant, founded by a chef who had worked in hotel restaurants for 15 years. That is, by definition, the restaurant must be cool and very touristy. And soon it should enter the top of Lonely Planet.

White tablecloths on the tables, fresh flowers in white vases, there is even a washbasin where a cute Burmese woman will pour water from a silver jug on your hands and offer you a white towel to dry your hands. Beautiful, but... not very tasty. The food is highly Europeanized and bland. Despite the varied menu, there was nothing sensible there except chicken curry. In general, we ordered chicken curry at exorbitant prices, brought boiled rice and unleavened chicken breast. That's all. No condiments, salads or appetizers for you. My husband refused to eat it and went to his favorite local cafe, but I ordered dessert - baked bananas. Beautiful, but very cloying.

While my husband was waiting in line with the locals to have lunch, and there was a decent line, I went to see the pagoda, which was located next to Star Beans. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the pagoda. But I really liked her.

There was no one inside, just me. The whole pagoda is carved, some carved ornaments, flowers and unknown creatures. There is only one Buddha and a mirrored corridor led to him. There was a lot of shade in the pagoda, so you could walk calmly, without jumping)

After our lunch, it was time for our horse's lunch, so we headed back to the hotel for an hour and a half to chill in the pool.

By the middle of the day I was already confused about the temples and their names. Therefore, I began to simply photograph temple signs (if there were any). After lunch we went to the largest temple, Dhammayangyi Temple. Built in 1167 by King Narathu. The temple is visible from anywhere in Bagan, it is so big. Inside the temple there are huge long dark corridors with high arches. The Buddhas here are not like everywhere else - not golden, but colored. The temple has many different carved windows, entrances and exits. Overall, a beautiful temple.

In one place there was an open staircase to the top. Despite the prohibitory sign, we climbed there, but didn’t see anything interesting except thousand-year-old mouse shit... and we climbed barefoot...

The time was approaching sunset. The driver invited us to meet him at the Shwesando pagoda, but we were already there, so he took us to some other place, the name of which I did not remember...

We arrived early, people were still gathering to watch the sunset, so we took the trump seats, in the stalls. It was a two-story mini-temple with Buddhas, of course. To get to the top and get the best seats, you need to squeeze into these narrow turrets.

At the top, local kids were already waiting for tourists with postcards and paintin. Didn’t I tell you about paintin? In general, these are sand paintings: a sketch is made on a piece of fabric, then covered with glue, then sand is sprinkled along the lines of the drawing and then paint is added. And the paintin, that is, the painting, is ready! The motifs of the paintings are the same, as is the text of the traders. First they ask just look, just look, then they tell you that in Burma there are 8 days of the week, that Wednesday is divided into two days and this is shown in the picture. They also show a painting with monsters and mutants of elephants and other animals, and then there is a story that the painting costs only 8-10 dollars. You can listen to it once, two or three times, but then the “paintin” began to bother you... By the way, we naturally bought paintin, but my picture didn’t make it to Moscow... I lost it somewhere (((

By the way, the children at this pagoda turned out to be unobtrusive; they realized that we ourselves already knew a lot about paintin, so we simply smiled at the cameras.

However, the sun was slowly setting, buses and hundreds of carts were rushing to the temple, cyclists abandoned their bikes without really parking them, taking off their shoes as they went. Everyone ran to watch the sunset. We were lucky with the sunset today. As with the views around.

Oh Bagan. Day three.

On the third day of our stay in Bagan, the pagodas, temples and Buddhas were already so boring and did not evoke such wild delight that we simply took bikes and rode around Bagan without a clear route, stopping only where we were interested. I no longer rushed from pagoda to pagoda, trying to photograph all, all, all the temples from all, all, all sides, all the statues and every Buddha. And this particular day was the most interesting, we visited the most beautiful pagodas of Bagan with stunning views.

Thatbinyu Temple was the last major temple in Bagan that we did not cover in the previous two days. We need to complete the mandatory program. We approached the temple not from the main entrance, but from the side. The main one had too many merchants. I only glanced briefly inside the temple. In principle, nothing new, well, except for the Buddha statues. And this was my fatal mistake; sellers of precious stones followed me from the temple. Ruby, ruby, ruby - they whispered like a conspiracy, chasing us as we walked around the temple.

I remembered Cambodia, where they also sell cheap precious stones, mainly sapphires. The local merchant, in order to prove the authenticity of his $20 stones, burned them with a special burner. We even have the expression “let’s go burn glass,” which means let’s go look at the jewelry. Burmese traders naturally offered rubies. But here they did not have gas burners at hand, so they simply laid stones on a brick and hit them with all their might with another brick, proving that these were not glass. So we came up with another expression: “let’s go break glass.” The cost of rubies started at $100 and quickly dropped to $10.

There are a lot of pagodas and stupas around Thatbinyu. It was possible to climb one such stupa, which is what I did. As usual, you need to take off your shoes, as usual, the stupa stands in the sun and, of course, it is made of red brick. But the views are beautiful.

From the stupa, Tatbinya is very clearly visible, the highest temple of Bagan, by the way - 61 m. The tiers of the temple are clearly visible. Unfortunately, the temple was badly damaged during the earthquake, therefore, as almost everywhere else, access to the upper tiers in Tatbinya is closed.

But access is open to the neighboring temple with the unpronounceable name Shwegugyi, which means Great Golden Cave. The temple was built in just seven months. We no longer went inside the temple; we would not have seen anything except Buddhas, flowers and paintings. We were exclusively interested in the second tier. And he didn't disappoint. The views around were unearthly. It's like from another planet. Stupas, pagodas, a green carpet of trees and bushes, in some places with crimson spots from flowers. And as far as the eye can see, stupas stick out. And the main temples of Bagan, which we visited over these three days, rise like giants among this.

The temple itself is beautiful, with turrets at the corners, decorated with decorative green tiles and stone carvings.

Then we decided to go towards New Bagan. On that side, as the Russian tourists we met at one of the pagodas told us, is the most beautiful pagoda of Bagan, simply the coolest place. They didn’t remember what it was called; it wasn’t on our map, but they showed its approximate location. And so we drove towards New Bagan in search of an unknown, but very beautiful pagoda.

On the way we stopped at Manuha temple. This temple was built by the captive Mon king Manuha. Manuha was captured during the Burma invasion of the Mon kingdom of Thaton. Then the Mon kingdom was plundered and destroyed. Ancient Buddhist relics and manuscripts were taken to Bagan, and artisans and monks were also taken to build a new cultural, spiritual and religious center. For the same purpose, the king of the Mons himself was captured. He was brought to Bagan in a special position, and was even allowed to build a temple. The temple is interesting because in a small room lies a huge Buddha. It barely fits into the cramped space of the temple.

In front of the temple there is a certain golden vat, apparently for some religious purposes. But what kind of vat is this, after three days of complete immersion in pagodas and stupas, we were no longer interested.

Immediately after the temple, we turned off the road onto a dirt road and drove across rough terrain in search of a pagoda. The drive took a long time, an hour and a half. Some roads were marked on our map, and some were not. They tried to ask the locals for directions, saying, where is the beautiful pagoda, but since there are many pagodas here, the locals sent us in different directions. But we stubbornly moved on.

And then something red and gold appeared on the horizon. Approaching closer, this red and gold took on the outline of a pagoda. Without a doubt, this is most likely the wonderful pagoda we are looking for. The pagoda was called Dhamma-ya-zi-ka.

Having taken off our shoes before entering the territory, we walked through. There is naturally a Buddha inside. Small, modest, but in flowers.

We climb up a steep, long and very hot staircase. This was my most difficult staircase. The sun was at its zenith and heated the brick so much that I jumped in small dashes from shadow to shadow, because only there it was possible to step on the bricks.

But what opened up to our eyes when we got up was worth all the searching and wasted effort. Can't be expressed in words.

The pagoda stands far away from all the main temples of Bagan, so from it the whole of Bagan opened up to us. All the temples and stupas seen and visited during these three days. From here you can see the entire scale of Bagan. Everywhere the eye can see there are pagodas, pagodas, pagodas. There are truly thousands of them. And it’s good that we visited it last; it became, as it were, the summation of all of Bagan.

Bagan is often compared to Angkor in Cambodia. It's hard for me to compare them. They are different. Bagan amazes with its size and number of temples and pagodas. And Angkor - because it was lost in the jungle. And the tourist flow is at different levels. For now, getting to Bagan is more difficult.

The pagoda itself is unusual, it is red and gold, we have not seen anything like it in Bagan. The pagoda is decorated with various figures and mythical statues, and squirrels jump around. And below, raspberry bushes grow like a carpet, of which there are a lot here in Bagan.

We sat on top of the pagoda in the shade for quite some time. Relaxed and enjoyed Bagan. Tomorrow we fly to Ngapali. And even if it was not the pagoda that our compatriots told us about, then Dhamma-ya-zi-ka is without a doubt the best of the pagodas (not temples) that simply must be visited.

There is another interesting temple in Bagan, which I did not talk about. I don’t know the name, but it’s easy to find, it’s located on the road on the right side right before the center of old Bagan, if you’re driving from Nyaung U. The temple is very remarkable, you can’t pass by. It is decorated with statues of monkeys, elephants and Buddha.

We decided to watch the third sunset in Bagan on the river. We drove towards the Bu Paya Pagoda, where there are a lot of cafes. In one of these cafes, we ordered chicken curry and watched the sunset over the Irrawaddy. Another stage of our great Burmese journey was coming to an end. And Bagan is its main pearl.

Sulamani Temple was built in 1181 by order of King Narapatisithu and is located in Myanmar, in the city of Bagan, and is a combination of two styles of Burmese architecture: early and medieval style. The first is characterized by horizontal and planar exterior objects, while the second is characterized by a vertical direction. This combination makes the temple very unusual and interesting for tourists.

The temple stands on a terrace and has two floors, which gives it the appearance of a pyramid; its brickwork is considered one of the best in Bagan. The temple complex is surrounded by a high wall; once hundreds of monastic cells were adjacent to its inner side, but they have not survived to this day. The pagodas are located at the corners of the main terrace.

Inside, the Sulmani Temple exemplifies the decorative traditions of Bagan, with carved cornices, pediments and painted walls. All this has now been restored by craftsmen to its original form.

Nanpaiya Temple

Nanpaya is one of the four sandstone temples of Bagan. The architecture of this temple is unique: its internal walls are made of burnt bricks, while the external walls are built of sandstone. The exact time of the appearance of the Nanpaiya Temple is unknown. Presumably, it was built at the end of the 11th or beginning of the 12th century.

A distinctive feature of Nanpaiya Temple is the decorative stone carvings that adorn the four pillars in one of the interior rooms. These stone paintings depict Brahma and scary cannibal giants with their mouths filled with flowers.

In the central hall of the temple, a brick altar made in Indian style has been preserved. This style, as well as the images of Brahma on the walls, suggest that Nanpaya was originally not a Buddhist, but a Hindu temple.

Htilominlo Temple in Bagan

The cave temple of Htilominlo was built in Bagan in 1218. This is the last grandiose structure of the Bagan era and at the same time the culmination of the architectural art of ancient Burma. The temple is also famous for its unique plaster carvings. These are eight images of Buddha, four of which are located on the lower tier of the temple, and four more on the upper.

Htilominlo is a large room surrounded on all sides by vaulted corridors. These corridors lead to one staircase, along which you can climb to the second tier and to the stupa that crowns the temple.

The second tier of the temple is a large observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of the nearby temples and stupas.

Phaya Thone Zu Temple in Bagan

The unusual and intriguing Phaya Thone Zu Temple is a triad of temples united by narrow, arched passages. All three temples have the same shape: a square plan, tapering at the top and turning into a stupa spire. Along the perimeter of the temples there are small terraces decorated with turrets in the corners.

The exact construction date of Phaya Thone Zu is unknown. Presumably, it was erected at the end of the 13th century. The architecture of each of the three temples is typical of Bagan, but their combination into a triad is unusual for the area.

Interestingly, the walls, pilasters and vaulted ceilings of the eastern temple and part of the central temple are covered with paintings, while the walls of the western temple are completely bare. This suggests that Phaya Thone Zu was not completed.

Nanbaya Temple

Located in Bagan (Burma), the Nanbai Temple is unique, if only because, according to legend, it was once the palace of King Manuh and is now sometimes called the Manuh Pagoda. It was built in 1059 from sandstone, and is famous for its wall paintings depicting previous incarnations of Buddha.

In general, this temple is surrounded by many legends, for example that it was originally Hindu or that it was built by the grandnephew of Manuch himself, known as Prince Naga Taman at the end of the 11th century.

However, let's return to the well-known facts that attract tourists no less than legends. The temple is made of sandstone, which prevented it from being particularly damaged in any of the earthquakes. The central sanctum contains four stone pillars of the same sandstone, decorated with fine carvings and bas-reliefs of the four faces of Brahma. On them the Creator holds lotus flowers.

Thatbinyu Temple

The massive and majestic Tatbinyu Temple is the tallest temple in Bagan. It is located west of the Ananda Temple, within the city walls, north of the Tog Gate. The height of Tatbinyu is 61 meters, the length of each side is 58 meters. It was built around 1150 during the reign of King Alauncitu. Distinctive features of the temple are multi-level architectural design in Indian style and artistic brickwork.

In the Middle Ages, Tatbinyu was not just a temple, but a whole religious complex. There was a monastery on the first floor, and a library on the second. The upper part of the building was occupied by a sanctuary and a stupa.

The building was badly damaged during the earthquake in 1979, so entry to the upper terraces is now prohibited for tourists.

Kubyaukji Temple

Khaming Temple

Khaminga is a group of several temples with small stupas. The complex is located south of Bagan. On the territory of the temple there is a unique observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of the entire Bagan valley, surrounding temples and stupas. Experienced tourists advise going up to the site at sunrise or sunset, then the landscape will be especially impressive.

Khaming Temple was built in the 12th century by the royal family. It is one of the best and oldest examples of architecture in Myanmar. At the top of the temple there is a statue of Buddha, and the inside of the temple is painted with beautiful frescoes.

This temple is often called the "temple of bad luck." Difficulties began from the very beginning of construction - for various reasons, work was constantly postponed. Later, when the temple was ready, it often suffered from natural disasters. One of the stupas of the temple now stands at an angle; it tilted as a result of a strong earthquake.

That Binh Yu Temple

Rising above many other monuments in the city of Bagan in Myanmar is a majestic white building - the That Binh Yu Temple. It was built by King Alaungsithu and was a kind of experiment for its time because it consists of two floors and is not symmetrical.

From the terraces of this temple there is a good view of the city of Bagan, its countless monuments, the wide Ayeyarwaddy River, and the distant hills to the east and west. The height of the temple's stupa is 201 feet and in general the entire decor of That Binh Yu seems to be aimed at emphasizing its vertical lines: high arches, pediments, pillars and massive stairs, all of this rushes upward. And two rows of windows make the interior light and spacious.

The floral patterns on the walls, located in some places, look elegant and sophisticated. It pairs well with the massive Buddha statue sitting at the end of the rise to the second floor.

Damayanji Temple

Damayanji Temple is one of the largest Buddhist temples in Burma, the largest temple in Pagan, built in the second half of the 12th century.

The largest of all the temples in Bagan, Damayanji, as it is popularly known, was built during the reign of King Naratu (1167-1170). Naratu, who came to the throne by killing his father Alaunsita, and his elder brother apparently built this large temple to atone for their sins.

Burmese chronicles state that while the construction of the temple was in progress, the king was killed by some Indians and thus the temple was not completed, however sources indicate that the king was killed by Sinhala invaders. The interior of the temple was walled up for unknown reasons, such that only four entrances from the outer corridor remained accessible.

Myau Guni Temple

There are many ancient monuments in Myanmar, but the largest concentration of them is undoubtedly in Old Bagan. One of the temples that you can visit there is called Myau Guni. This beautiful and sophisticated building was built during the reign of King Narathihapate, not by his order, but by the command of his wife Pwasau. There are two theories to explain her intentions. According to the first, the queen wanted to appease the gods and bring nirvana closer; according to the second, Pwasau wanted to leave a mark on history by building a temple in honor of Buddha.

Under the foundation of the temple there is a stone tablet, the writing on which tells us how much money, land and slaves the queen donated for the construction of the temple. Also written on it are sophisticated curses addressed to those who would destroy this temple.

One of the features of the temple is that from its terrace at sunset the city of Bagan looks simply magical.

Nandamanya Temple

Nandamanya Temple is a small vaulted temple in the Bagan Valley, built in 1248 by King Kyazwa. The entrance to the temple is located in the east, in front of it there is a small terrace and a stupa. The temple does not look particularly impressive, although it has numerous decorative elements on the outer walls. The Buddha image inside is also very damaged.

But Nandamanya is worth visiting because of the paintings that adorn its walls. They depict the main stages of the earthly life of the Buddha. His birth and death of his mother, then cutting his hair as a sign of leaving worldly life, the seduction of Buddha by the voluptuous daughters of Mara and others.

Tayok Pai Temple

The great temple of Tayok Pai was built in Bagan in the 13th century. The temple is richly decorated; the tablets with carved commandments, which are kept in one of the Tayok Pai sanctuaries, are of particular interest. Another relic of the temple is a small 50-centimeter statue of a seated Buddha in one of the niches.

The temple is made in the traditional architectural style of Bagan, has two tiers, topped with a small stupa. The entrance to the temple is decorated with an elegant arched gate. Each corner of the temple is decorated with a carved tower. On the second tier there is an observation deck from which you can see the Bagan Valley and surrounding attractions.

Kubyaukji Temple

Kubyaukgyi Temple, located near the village of Minkaba, is designed in Indian style and is an example of the early architectural style of ancient Myanmar. The temple was approximately erected at the beginning of the 11th century.

On the interior walls of the temple and on the ceiling, unique paintings and frescoes of the 11th-13th centuries depicting Jataka (stories of the previous births of Buddha) have been preserved. This is the main attraction of Kubyaukji. From these wall paintings and frescoes one can learn about the lifestyle, customs and traditions of the people of Bagan at that time. They reflect the peculiarities of the people’s life, as well as their religious preferences.

Manuha Temple in Bagan

The Manuha Temple is located in the village of Minkaba, located 2 kilometers south of the walls of Old Bagan. This is one of the oldest temples in Bagan. It was built in 1059 with the money of the Mon king Manuha, who two years earlier was captured by the Bagan ruler Anoratha. The prisoner wanted to build a temple that would remind him of his native country.

The temple has a rather unusual for Bagan, but not unique, layout: a massive structure of three cubes (a large one in the middle, two smaller ones at the edges) and a long, low parallelepiped adjacent to the rear of the structure along its entire length. The entire structure has virtually no external decor. On the roof of the temple there is a small terrace with a crowning stupa and many small stupas spaced evenly over all corners.

Inside the temple there are four giant Buddha statues: three sitting in each of the cubes of the central building and one lying in the rear annex. The images are made of brick, plastered, painted and gilded.

Ananda Temple

The Ananda Temple was probably built in 1091. The temple is a masterpiece of architectural art. According to legend, King Chiansitta was so fascinated by its beauty that he personally killed the architect so that he would not reproduce such a beautiful creation again.

The interior of the Ananda temple was a replica of the legendary Nandamula cave in the Himalayas. Four almost 10-meter statues depict the last Buddha of our time

Ananda Temple is one of the most magnificent and best preserved temples in Bagan. The temple symbolizes the infinite wisdom of the Buddha. Its square perimeter is surrounded by walls. Above them rise 17 stupas up to 51 m high. In the internal galleries there are hundreds of Buddha statues.

In the western sanctuary there is a statue of the founder of the temple. On the pedestal of the western portal you can see two footprints of Buddha. On the territory of the temple complex there is the Ananda Ok Kyaung Monastery - the only brick monastery that has survived from those times. Every year on the full moon of the month of Pyato, thousands of pilgrims gather here for a 3-day temple festival.

When they say Myanmar, many people don’t even know which side it is in. And this country is a neighbor of the well-known Thailand. Previously, this exoticism was called Burma - stuffy and hot, sometimes dusty, but no less desirable. So if you are vacationing in Thailand, we recommend that you pay a visit to Myanmar, where there are much fewer travelers, but there are many architectural monuments.

The city of Bagan, built by ancient people, has survived to this day and today, more than ever, attracts the attention of many tourists. It is often called the “city of a thousand temples,” although there are actually about four hundred of them, and attracts tourists, beckoning with its special atmosphere.

Amazing Bagan

Today it is a frozen stone city, where the main character is stone buildings - half-spiritualized pagodas, Buddhist temples, stupas. The most beautiful of all the temples in the world are also located here. This city, already asleep forever, in the distant past was the political, cultural and religious center of Burma. Now only echoes of the former greatness remain, to which lovers of refined exoticism strive. The Irrawaddy River, the largest in Myanmar, makes its way past Bagan and brave travelers can get to the treasured city along it. It is much more interesting to get to this treasured place by river on a small ferry than to arrive simply by plane or bus. This river majestically adorns the surrounding area and among the ruins will more than once remind you of what is eternal and what is passing.

City `s history

In the great old times of this city, the people who lived in it and walked between the temples felt all their mundaneness in comparison with the stunning triumph of these buildings. And now it’s exactly the opposite, you don’t feel worthless and faded, you’re strong and free where everything is already falling apart. But you are still haunted by some mystery, the solution to which is just around the corner.

You observe the fragments of an ancient civilization and feel like a real archaeologist who has found an entire city and is afraid to believe his eyes, so as not to destroy even a small part of these treasures. But I want to continue to participate and open new horizons.

Mysticism of the city

The ruins gave the surrounding area a certain mystical charm. Asian architecture and the abandonment of these places captivate with a certain sophistication, but without the gloominess so inherent in old ruins. An amazing languor spread smoothly in the local air, regardless of the time of day. The curlicues of local temples are strikingly different from any world architectural movement, and only by looking closely at them can you comprehend the strong difference in the cultures of the West and the East. It will seem that the curve of every structure that surrounds you wants to inspire something or influence your mind.

Observation deck

For the deepest experience, climb higher to take in the stunning views. Climbing to the temple site is the number one point for tourists in Bagan. You will be breathless with delight! At sunrise, as soon as the first drops of sun begin to fall on the structure, you will think that the secret has finally been revealed.

But even the view from the highest point will pale in comparison to a hot air balloon flight. Flying over the city of temples and ruins, where ornate peaks jut out, is an unforgettable sight. You will not just plunge into the atmosphere, you will feel how it was created.

Unfortunately, not all buildings in the city have survived and have not been destroyed by time. Some were restored, but without taking into account their original appearance, which prevented Bagan from being included in the UNESCO heritage list. Also, civilization is already beginning to approach here with modern highways and tourist attractions. So hurry up and visit here while mysterious antiquity still reigns in Bagan.

Holidays in Bagan: everyone can afford it

Among all the cities in Myanmar, Bagan is ideal for travelers, regardless of the time of year. There is no rainy season, so the city can be explored all year round. The proximity of the tropics has an effect: daytime temperatures can reach 40 degrees, and at night drop to 27 °C. For a quick tour, you can visit the most famous revered temples. Everyone loves Shwesandaw Temple, where a crowd of onlookers gathers every evening.

Today's Bagan is conventionally divided into three parts: northeastern, northwestern (Old Bagan) and southwestern (New Bagan). The northeast has the largest selection of budget ones; you can eat for literally pennies, but such establishments are located far from the central attractions. Tourist groups usually stay in New Bagan; hotels of a higher class are located here. Old Bagan caters, as a rule, to wealthy tourists; accommodation here is expensive, but it is also located close to architectural monuments.

Bagan is the capital of the first state in Myanmar. During its heyday, more than 10 thousand religious buildings were built on the local plains; today, in the abandoned temple complex there are more than 2 thousand ancient Buddhist temples. Ancient pagodas, temples, sacred caves and stupas, located in the bend of the Irrawaddy River, preserve the memory of the former capital of the Burmese Empire. Bagan is an amazing and eclectic sight: the temples are built from limestone, sandstone, marble, with tiles and underground galleries - and each is at least somewhat different from its neighbors. Nowadays, this place has become a kind of Buddhist Mecca and a popular tourist center. Pilgrims from all over Asia come here, as well as travelers interested in the architecture and culture of ancient Myanmar. Many become so immersed in the local culture that they stay in Bagan for several days or even weeks.

Bagan is an amazing and eclectic sight: temples are built of limestone, sandstone, marble, with tiles and underground galleries.

From the history of Bagan

Bagan played an important role in the cultural development of the Burmese kingdoms, and it was here that Burmese art originated. But it attracts the attention of historians not only as a cultural capital. The history of the emergence of the Bagan state is truly phenomenal: there were no usual long years of development and formation, Bagan appeared quickly and immediately presented the world with its amazing temples, full-fledged administrative and religious systems.

The founding date of Bagan is considered to be 850 AD. e. Soon after this, endless bloody battles for the throne and palace coups began. In 1044, Prince Aniruda ascended the throne, and this year is considered the date of the creation of the Bagan state. During his reign, Aniruda significantly expanded the territory, annexing neighboring lands, raised the cultural level of the inhabitants and strengthened foreign political alliances. He strove for Bagan to surpass all known states at that time, bringing here the most talented craftsmen who created incredible masterpieces.

By the way, from Aniruda among the Bagan kings, as well as nobles, ministers and other nobility, a tradition began to exalt their name by building temples.

After Anirudha's death, Bagan was ruled by many kings; some were peace-loving and emphasized diplomatic relations, others waged bloody wars and mounted military campaigns; periods of peace were followed by years of brutal uprisings. From the end of the 12th century. For Bagan, a time of oblivion began, defeats in wars, the collapse of statehood, and population decline.

Formally, the Bagan throne lasted for almost 9 centuries, during which time the destroyed and plundered Bagan gradually became depopulated, wooden buildings burned down in military fires, and stone ones were destroyed by earthquakes. To this day, only stupas and temples have survived in the enchanted ghost town, preserving the memory of the greatness of Bagan.

In the summer of 1975, Burma, especially Bagan, suffered significant damage from a particularly severe earthquake. In the 90s The country's military authorities began to restore the city in order to create an attractive tourist attraction. Unfortunately, this inept “restoration” caused more damage to the monuments than good, so that, despite its obvious cultural and historical significance, UNESCO did not include Bagan in the List of World Heritage Sites.

Bagan - land of pagodas

How to get there

There are no direct flights from Russia to Myanmar, and you can’t get to Bagan by plane without transfers. Several airlines offer flights to Myanmar, but they are quite expensive and require a couple of transfers (in Europe and Asia). The best way to get to Myanmar is to fly to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, then take a plane to Yangon, and from there it’s just a stone’s throw to Bagan. Not far from Nyang U there is an airport that receives planes from Yangon.

You can also get to Bagan by land from Thailand (Myanmar’s borders with Bangladesh, India, Laos and China are closed). If you choose this option, please note that when entering Myanmar through the land border, tourists are limited in movement within the country, so you will need to apply for short-term visas for 2-14 days with the right to stay in the border area. Tourist buses depart from Yangon and Mandalay to Bagan. Another option is to take a tourist boat from Mandalay to Bagan via the Ayeyarwaddy River, which takes approximately 12 hours.

Search for flights to Yangon (closest airport to Bagan)

3 things to do in Bagan:

Take a ride in a hot air balloon. Flights are organized only in the early morning; the cost of the unique attraction is about 300-400 USD per person.
In one of the temples, take a photo with local residents dressed in colorful costumes. For a small fee, they will gladly show off their long neck, decorated with spirals that look like copper rings, for a photo.
Watch the sunset by climbing to the top of Shwe San Da Pagoda.

How to get around

The temples of Bagan are scattered haphazardly over a fairly large area. Those located in the vicinity of villages and Old Bagan can still be reached on foot, but to get to remote temples you will have to drive.

There are several ways to get around Bagan. The most budget option is to rent a bicycle for 1.50 USD per day. A more expensive and more exotic option is to rent a horse-drawn carriage for 15 USD per day, however, keep in mind that local drivers are in no hurry, so you will move at a snail’s pace. And finally, those who have limited time and are not tempted by local exotics can rent a car with a driver, the cost is from 25-35 USD per day. Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

Where to stay

You need to choose where to stay: in Old Bagan, New Bagan or Nyang U - based on your vacation preferences. If your main goal is to visit temples and there is no need for evening entertainment, pay attention to Old Bagan, it is the most convenient place to get to the shrines. If you can’t imagine your holiday without nightlife and visiting restaurants, your choice is New Bagan. The bulk of cafes and other entertainment venues are concentrated here, and there is also a decent selection of hotels. True, you will have to use transport to get to the temples from New Bagan. The picture is approximately the same in Nyang-U: there are many inexpensive hotels, there are restaurants, in addition, there is a bus station and a market. One inconvenience: you also need to get to the temples by transport.

Bagan, Bagan, Kingdom of Pagan- the largest concentration of temples (not only Buddhist) in the world. Bagan -the ancient capital of the kingdom of the same name on the territory of modern Myanmar. The city is located on a dry plateau along the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River, 145 km southwest of Mandalay.

Currently, on the site of the ancient city there is an archaeological zone with thousands of pagodas, temples, stupas, and monasteries. Bagan is still not a World Heritage Site due to political reasons.Most of the temples, pagodas and stupas were built during the heyday of the Pagan kingdom in the 11th-13th centuries. Bagan became the capital for the first time at the end of the 9th century under the kingPyinbya, and flourished during the re-transfer of the capital in the 11th century. under the great king Anoratha. It was under him that most of the temples were built.

The most significant stupas - Shwezigon and Lokananda Chaun - store the teeth of Buddha and are covered with gold, asphalt leads to them from the main road, and there are many shopping pavilions around.

But the rest of the red brick and white stone pagodas are not covered with gold, some require restoration.

Bagan is on a very dry plateau and is very hot during the day in May. Bagan is a large protected area with many temples, scattered among small settlements. Many temples are located in the scorched desert between sparse trees. During the “wet” rainy season, everything is covered with lush vegetation and it seems that the temples are buried in the jungle, it is very beautiful, so if you have a choice, go here when there is still a lot of greenery.

During the dry, hot period, many temples are restored and overgrown with forests. At the same time, the high season in Bagan is considered to be the peripheral months at the end of the wet season, when there is not much rain, but it is not yet so hot.

How to get there

There is an airport in Nyang U, the main city of Bagan, which can be reached by plane.

Cheap flights NYU

Where	departure date	Return date	Find a ticket
Yangon
Bangkok
Phuket
Sihanoukville
Kyiv
Saint Petersburg
Moscow

However, most tourists come to Bagan by bus from Yangon. This is the main way to get to the temples. At the entrance along the main highway, as well as at the airport, vigilant employees of the historical complex will charge you a fee of $25. You can avoid this by arriving on a secondary route (for example, from Mandalay) by bus or by hitchhiking in the evening. This car checkpoint is not so strict, although buses can selectively check and also charge tourists a fee for visiting the complex. So hitchhiking is the only calm way to avoid fees.

Urban transport. How to get around the city and suburbs

The network of small towns, including Nyaung-U, does not provide any urban public transport. The most common transport in Bagan is an electric moped or a bicycle - there are rental networks everywhere, prices are approximately the same everywhere. They don’t offer regular moped rental for tourists in Bagan - firstly, so that you don’t go anywhere on it, and secondly, they care about the ecology of the area. It is not uncommon for tourists to use taxis or taxi sharing to get around the area.

I rented an electric moped, the battery of which lasts for almost a whole day of active riding. Bicycles in many hotels and some hostels are free for guests.

Housing. Hotels and hostels

There are many hotels and hostels open around Bagan - the area lives on tourists and there will be no problems with housing.

luxury hotel in Bagan Myanmar

Keep in mind that hotels registered with your booking will most likely check your ticket, and if you don’t have one, they will strongly ask you to buy it. I chose a hotel between Nyang U and the main territory of Bagan (about 2-2.5 km from both places), which was recommended to me by other travelers from Spain who had been here before, it is in the popular map application Maps.me, Although there is a sign in it warning that every foreigner must have a ticket, they do not actually check it. So the general rule is that if the hotel is not listed on the booking page, you will not be asked for a ticket and will not be forced to buy it. A hotel room starts from $10 even out of season. It is possible to pitch a tent in this arid area, although due to the location the risk of encountering a scorpion or scolopendra is slightly increased, especially during their particularly active mating season (they become more poisonous and aggressive, as nature ordered).

Food

In Bagan, the typical food for the Burmese is rice with different types of curry, there are noodles and soups. There are no large supermarkets even in Nyaung-U, but there are small shops, such as a supermarket.

food in Bagan

Sights of Bagan

Sunsets in Bagan. Main, sunset pagoda- temple (pagoda) Shwezigon. This is the only pagoda where your ticket will be checked upon entry, and if you do not have it, you will be asked to purchase it ($25). So if you are not a wealthy person, it is better to avoid this pagoda.

You can also watch sunsets in Bagan from other pagodas, there are several of them:

Htilominlo Temple

Pyathada Pagoda

sunset from Pyathada Pagoda

visitors in Bagan came to watch the sunset

Sunrises in Bagan. The best impression of Bagan can be had at sunrise from a hot air balloon during the rainy season or towards the end of it.

Cost - from $120 for a 40-minute flight. I was there during the dry season; in the mornings there is a slight haze over Bagan, which blurs the picture a little. Moreover, during the dry season, the temples of the Pagan kingdom are not as impressive as when they rise above the tops of green trees. Most sunrise pagodas are also sunset pagodas. The map above shows all the good pagodas and places where you can go up and enjoy the sunset or sunrise.

Features of Bagan

It gets dark very quickly in Southeast Asia. One evening, at dusk, on an electric moped, I decided to take a shortcut along the secondary path indicated on the maps me map, but then suddenly the road ended, the low-power moped got stuck in the sand, it got dark and I had to drag the moped on myself. I got out onto a more or less tolerable road in deep darkness. So take a flashlight with you and try to drive on main roads after dark to avoid getting lost.