Mandalay,
the last royal capital of Myanmar
Let Next Myanmar Tours show you the culturally rich city of Mandalay. Located along the
Ayeyarwady River about 716k north of Yangon, Mandalay is a must see city in
Myanmar. Currently the population is roughly one million and continues to grow,
and the recent influx of Yunnan people has helped the economic growth of the
city. Mandalay is Myanmar’s northern economic hub and a vital trade route
between China and India. Even though commercialism has penetrated this city it
still holds on to its traditional roots and ways of life.
There are plenty of sites within Mandalay that will inspire your inner soul. Firstly there is Mandalay Palace, once an amazing set of intricately carved wooden buildings, but the bombings of WWII destroyed most of it. What remains of the walls and moat of the palace will give you a representation of what it used to be. There is a scale model and cultural museum within the compound that can give you the information necessary to understand this magnificent palace. Most of the buildings have been rebuilt, but the history of them has been lost. There is still the Golden Palace Monastery which is the only building that survived the attacks of WWII. The next site to see is Mahamuni Temple, which is one of the three holiest places in Myanmar. This temple holds a gigantic bronze Buddha covered in layers of gold leaf. Mahamuni is usually crowded with devotees from around the country, and the surrounding vendors bring life to this peaceful temple. A site not to be missed is located at the base of Mandalay Hill, Kuthodaw Pagoda. This site is known as the biggest book in the world. Each page of the Buddhist writings have been transcribed onto slabs of marble and enshrined in their personal stupa. There are nearly 800 individual pages making this an extraordinary site to see.
Mandalay is also the center of arts and crafts in Myanmar. There are hundreds of workshops that transform raw material into stunning pieces of art. You can witness the process of gold leaf making, as well as marble and wood carving. It is unbelievable to see how much work goes into this magnificent art work. To really put time into perspective you can visit the tapestry weaving workshops. Here traditional cotton and silk weavers make customary longyis that are so intricate and colorful that only an inch a day can be made.
Around the city there are a few places of interest, such as Paleik which is an unspoiled countryside that is home to hundreds of temples and pagodas. There is also the famous U Bein Bridge which is a half mile long bridge made entirely out of teak. It is a real treat to see the bridge by sampan while cruising the lake. Near the bridge is the Mahagandayon monastery which may be the largest Buddhist University in the country, and it is a real treat to witness the thousands of monks all studying together.
There are plenty of sites within Mandalay that will inspire your inner soul. Firstly there is Mandalay Palace, once an amazing set of intricately carved wooden buildings, but the bombings of WWII destroyed most of it. What remains of the walls and moat of the palace will give you a representation of what it used to be. There is a scale model and cultural museum within the compound that can give you the information necessary to understand this magnificent palace. Most of the buildings have been rebuilt, but the history of them has been lost. There is still the Golden Palace Monastery which is the only building that survived the attacks of WWII. The next site to see is Mahamuni Temple, which is one of the three holiest places in Myanmar. This temple holds a gigantic bronze Buddha covered in layers of gold leaf. Mahamuni is usually crowded with devotees from around the country, and the surrounding vendors bring life to this peaceful temple. A site not to be missed is located at the base of Mandalay Hill, Kuthodaw Pagoda. This site is known as the biggest book in the world. Each page of the Buddhist writings have been transcribed onto slabs of marble and enshrined in their personal stupa. There are nearly 800 individual pages making this an extraordinary site to see.
Mandalay is also the center of arts and crafts in Myanmar. There are hundreds of workshops that transform raw material into stunning pieces of art. You can witness the process of gold leaf making, as well as marble and wood carving. It is unbelievable to see how much work goes into this magnificent art work. To really put time into perspective you can visit the tapestry weaving workshops. Here traditional cotton and silk weavers make customary longyis that are so intricate and colorful that only an inch a day can be made.
Around the city there are a few places of interest, such as Paleik which is an unspoiled countryside that is home to hundreds of temples and pagodas. There is also the famous U Bein Bridge which is a half mile long bridge made entirely out of teak. It is a real treat to see the bridge by sampan while cruising the lake. Near the bridge is the Mahagandayon monastery which may be the largest Buddhist University in the country, and it is a real treat to witness the thousands of monks all studying together.
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