Bagan

Bagan ပုဂံ Pagan
Bagan Location of Bagan, Myanmar
Coordinates: 21°10′21″N 94°51′36″E / 21.17250°N 94.86000°E / 21.17250; 94.86000 UTC+6.30 (MST)
Website
Location		Mandalay Region, Myanmar
Criteria	Cultural: iii, iv, vi
Reference	1588
Inscription	2019 (43rd Session)
Area	5,005.49 ha (12,368.8 acres)
Buffer zone	18,146.83 ha (44,841.8 acres)

Bagan (

The Bagan Archaeological Zone is a main attraction for the country's nascent tourism industry.^[3]

Etymology

Bagan is the present-day

Bagan's prosperous economy built over 10,000 temples between the 11th and 13th centuries.

Pagan Empire c. 1210

The Pagan Empire collapsed in 1287 due to repeated Mongol invasions (1277–1301). Recent research shows that Mongol armies may not have reached Bagan itself, and that even if they did, the damage they inflicted was probably minimal.^[9] However, the damage had already been done. The city, once home to some 50,000 to 200,000 people, had been reduced to a small town, never to regain its preeminence. The city formally ceased to be the capital of Burma in December 1297 when the Myinsaing Kingdom became the new power in Upper Burma.^[10][11]

14th to 19th centuries

A hot-air balloon flying over a pagoda in Bagan

Bagan survived into the 15th century as a human settlement,[12] and as a pilgrimage destination throughout the imperial period. A smaller number of "new and impressive" religious monuments still went up to the mid-15th century but afterward, new temple constructions slowed to a trickle with fewer than 200 temples built between the 15th and 20th centuries.^[2] The old capital remained a pilgrimage destination but pilgrimage was focused only on "a score or so" most prominent temples out of the thousands such as the Ananda, the Shwezigon, the Sulamani, the Htilominlo, the Dhammayazika, and a few other temples along an ancient road. The rest—thousands of less famous, out-of-the-way temples—fell into disrepair, and most did not survive the test of time.^[2]

For the few dozen temples that were regularly patronized, the continued patronage meant regular upkeep as well as architectural additions donated by the devotees. Many temples were repainted with new frescoes on top of their original Pagan era ones, or fitted with new Buddha statutes. Then came a series of state-sponsored "systematic" renovations in the Konbaung period (1752–1885), which by and large were not true to the original designs—some finished with "a rude plastered surface, scratched without taste, art or result". The interiors of some temples were also whitewashed, such as the Thatbyinnyu and the Ananda. Many painted inscriptions and even murals were added in this period.^[13]

20th century to present

The original Bupaya seen here in 1868 was completely destroyed by the 1975 earthquake. A new gilded pagoda in the original shape has been rebuilt.

Many of these damaged pagodas underwent restorations in the 1990s by the military government, which sought to make Bagan an international tourist destination. However, the restoration efforts instead drew widespread condemnation from art historians and preservationists worldwide. Critics are aghast that the restorations paid little attention to original architectural styles, and used modern materials, and that the government has also established a golf course, a paved highway, and built a 61 m (200 ft) watchtower. Although the government believed that the ancient capital's hundreds of (unrestored) temples and large corpus of stone inscriptions were more than sufficient to win the designation of UNESCO World Heritage Site,^[17] the city was not so designated until 2019, allegedly mainly on account of the restorations.^[18]

Bagan today is a main tourist destination in the country's nascent tourism industry, which has long been the target of various boycott campaigns. Several Burmese publications note that the city's small tourism infrastructure will have to expand rapidly even to meet a modest pickup in tourism in the following years.

On 24 August 2016, a

On 6 July 2019, Bagan was officially inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, after 24 years since the military government first nominated the city in 1995, during the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee.[19] This makes Bagan the second World Heritage Site in Myanmar, after the Ancient Cities of Pyu. As part of the criteria for the inscription of Bagan, the government of Myanmar has pledged to relocate existing hotels in the archaeological zone to a dedicated hotel zone by 2020.^[20]

Geography

The Bagan Archaeological Zone, defined as the 13 km × 8 km (8.1 mi × 5.0 mi) area centred around Old Bagan, consisting of

Panorama of Bagan as seen from the Minyeingon Temple: The Thatbyinnyu on the left and the Dhammayangyi in the distance on the right

Bagan Plains with the Dhammayangyi on the left

Bagan Plains with the Irrawaddy in the background

Bagan Plains, as seen from across the Irrawaddy river.

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Architecture

Bagan stands out for not only the sheer number of religious edifices of Myanmar but also the magnificent architecture of the buildings, and their contribution to Burmese temple design. The artistry of the architecture of pagodas in Bagan proves the achievement of Myanmar craftsmen in handicrafts. The Bagan temple falls into one of two broad categories: the stupa-style solid temple and the gu-style (ဂူ) hollow temple.

Stupas

A stupa, also called a pagoda or chedi, is a massive structure, typically with a relic chamber inside. The Bagan stupas or pagodas evolved from earlier Pyu designs, which in turn were based on the stupa designs of the

Evolution of the Burmese stupa

Sri Ksetra)

The Mingalazedi

(13th century)

Ceremonial umbrellas at a Bagan temple

"One-face"-style Gawdawpalin Temple (left) and "four-face" Dhammayangyi Temple

In contrast to the stupas, the hollow gu-style temple is a structure used for meditation, devotional worship of the Buddha and other Buddhist rituals. The gu temples come in two basic styles: "one-face" design and "four-face" design—essentially one main entrance and four main entrances. Other styles such as five-face and hybrids also exist. The one-face style grew out of 2nd century Beikthano, and the four-face out of 7th century Sri Ksetra. The temples, whose main features were the pointed arches and the vaulted chamber, became larger and grander in the Bagan period.^[28]

Innovations

Although the Burmese temple designs evolved from Indic, Pyu (and possibly Mon) styles, the techniques of vaulting seem to have developed in Bagan itself. The earliest vaulted temples in Bagan date to the 11th century, while the vaulting did not become widespread in India until the late 12th century. The masonry of the buildings shows "an astonishing degree of perfection", where many of the immense structures survived the 1975 earthquake more or less intact.

Bagan at dawn

Old Bagan at sunset

Name	Picture	Built	Sponsor(s)	Notes
Ananda Temple		1105	King Kyansittha	One of the most famous temples in Bagan; 51 m (167 ft) tall
Bupaya Pagoda		c. 850	King Pyu Saw Hti	In Pyu style; original 9th century pagoda destroyed by the 1975 earthquake; completely rebuilt, now gilded
Dhammayangyi Temple		1167–1170	King Narathu	Largest of all temples in Bagan
Dhammayazika Pagoda		1196–1198	King Sithu II
Gawdawpalin Temple		c. 1211–1235	King Sithu II and King Htilominlo
Gubyaukgyi Temple (Wetkyi-in)		Early 13th Century	King Kyansittha
Gubyaukgyi Temple (Myinkaba)		1113	Prince Yazakumar
Htilominlo Temple		1218	King Htilominlo	46 m (151 ft), 3-story temple
Lawkananda Pagoda		c. 1044–1077	King Anawrahta
Mahabodhi Temple		c. 1218	King Htilominlo	Smaller replica of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya
Manuha Temple		1067	King Manuha
Mingalazedi Pagoda		1268–1274	King Narathihapate
Minyeingon Temple
Myazedi inscription		1112	Prince Yazakumar	"Rosetta Stone of Burma" with inscriptions in four languages: Pyu, Old Mon, Old Burmese and Pali
Nanpaya Temple		c. 1160–1170		Hindu temple in Mon style; believed to be either Manuha's old residence or built on the site
Nathlaung Kyaung Temple		c. 1044–1077		Hindu temple
Payathonzu Temple		c. 1200		in Tantric -styles
Seinnyet Nyima Pagoda and Seinnyet Ama Pagoda		11th century
Shwegugyi Temple		1131	King Sithu I	Sithu I was assassinated here; known for its arched windows
Shwesandaw Pagoda		c. 1057	King Anawrahta	100 m (328 ft) tall without counting the hti spire; Tallest Pagoda in Bagan
Shwezigon Pagoda		1102	King Anawrahta and King Kyansittha
Sulamani Temple		1183	King Sithu II
Tharabha Gate		c. 1020	King Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu and King Kyiso	The only remaining part of the old walls; radiocarbon dated to c. 1020[29]
Thatbyinnyu Temple		1150/51	Sithu I	66 m (217 ft); Tallest temple in Bagan
Tuywindaung Pagoda			Anawrahta

Museums

Old palace site in Old Bagan. A new completely conjectural palace has been reconstructed since 2003.

• The Bagan Archaeological Museum: The only museum in the Bagan Archaeological Zone, itself a field museum a millennium old. The three-story museum houses a number of rare Bagan period objects including the original
  Rosetta stone
  of Burma.
• Anawrahta's Palace: It was rebuilt in 2003 based on the extant foundations at the old palace site.[30] But the palace above the foundation is completely conjectural.

3D Documentation with LiDAR

The

Buses and cars

Overnight buses and cars also operate to and from Yangon and Mandalay taking approximately 9 and 6 hours respectively.^[33]

Boat

An 'express' ferry service runs between Bagan and Mandalay. Following the Irrawaddy river the fastest ferry takes around 9 hours to travel the 170 kilometres. The service runs daily during peak periods and slower sailings with overnight stops are also available.

Economy

Workers at a lacquerware factory

Bagan's economy is based mainly on tourism. Because of boycotts against the previous military government, the Bagan region's tourism infrastructure is still quite modest by international standards. The city has a few international standard hotels and many family-run guesthouses. Bagan is also the center of Burmese lacquerware industry, which to a large degree depends on tourist demand. Much of the lacquerware is destined for souvenir shops in Yangon, and to the world markets. Moreover, the lacquerware-making process itself has become a tourist draw.

Demographics

The population of Bagan in its heyday is estimated anywhere between 50,000^[35] to 200,000 people.^[36] Until the advent of tourism industry in the 1990s, only a few villagers lived in Old Bagan. The rise of tourism has attracted a sizable population to the area. Because Old Bagan is now off limits to permanent dwellings, much of the population reside in either New Bagan, south of Old Bagan, or Nyaung-U, north of Old Bagan. The majority of native residents are Bamar.

Administration

The Bagan archaeological zone is part of Nyaung-U District, Mandalay Region.

Sister cities

• Luang Prabang, Laos^[37]
• Siem Reap, Cambodia^[37]

Gallery

• 

  Bagan Plains

• 

  Bagan Plains

• 

  As seen from the Nanmyint Viewing Tower

• 

  Aerial views from a hot air balloon

• 

  Bagan temples at sunset

• 

  Bagan Plains at sunset

• 

  Htilominlo Temple and other temples

• 

  The Thatbyinnyu Temple

• 

  The Gawdawpalin

• 

  The Dhammayangyi

• 

  The Shwezigon

• 

  Doorway to a temple

• 

  One of the main four Buddha statutes inside the Ananda

• 

  A hallway inside the Ananda

• 

  Inside the Htilominlo

• 

  Frescoes inside a temple

• 

  Buddha statutes inside the Dhammayangyi

• 

  Inside the Manuha Temple

See also

• Buddhism in Myanmar
• Burmese pagoda
• Pagoda festival
• Index of Buddhism-related articles
• List of Pagodas in Bagan

Notes

References

• Aung-Thwin, Michael (1985). Pagan: The Origins of Modern Burma. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.
  ISBN 0-8248-0960-2
  .
• Aung-Thwin, Michael (2005). The mists of Rāmañña: The Legend that was Lower Burma (illustrated ed.). Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.
  ISBN 978-0-8248-2886-8
  .
• Ministry of Culture, Union of Myanmar (2009). "Royal Palaces in Myanmar". Ministry of Culture. Archived from the original on 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
• Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.
• Htin Aung, Maung (1967). A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press.
• Ishizawa, Yoshiaki; Yasushi Kono (1989). Study on Pagan: research report. Institute of Asian Cultures, Sophia University. p. 239.
• Kala, U (1724). Maha Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1–3 (2006, 4th printing ed.). Yangon: Ya-Pyei Publishing.
• Köllner, Helmut; Axel Bruns (1998). Myanmar (Burma) (illustrated ed.). Hunter Publishing. p. 255.
  ISBN 978-3-88618-415-6
  .
• ISBN 978-0-521-80496-7
  .
• Pan Eiswe Star; Soe Than Linn (2010-02-10). "Archaeologists to assist with Cambodia excavations". The Myanmar Times. 26 (509).
• Ministry of Information, Myanmar
  .
• Rao, V.K. (2013). "The Terracotta Plaques of Pagan: Indian Influence and Burmese Innovations". Ancient Asia. 4: 7.
  doi:10.5334/aa.12310
  .
• Rao, Vinay Kumar. “Buddhist Art of Pagan, 2 Vols.” Published by Agam Kala Publications, New Delhi, 2011.
  ISBN 978-81-7320-116-5
  .
• Rao, Vinay Kumar (2013). "The Terracotta Plaques of Pagan: Indian Influence and Burmese Innovations". Ancient Asia. 4: 7.
  doi:10.5334/aa.12310
  .
• Stadtner, Donald M. (2011). Sacred Sites of Burma: Myth and Folklore in an Evolving Spiritual Realm. Bangkok: 2011.
  ISBN 978-974-9863-60-2
  .
• Than Tun (December 1959). "History of Burma: A.D. 1300–1400". Journal of Burma Research Society. XLII (II).
• Than Tun (1964). Studies in Burmese History (in Burmese). Vol. 1. Yangon: Maha Dagon.
• Tourtellot, Jonathan B. (2004-09-03). "Dictators "Defacing" Famed Burma Temples". The National Geographic Traveler. National Geographic.
• UNESCO (1976). Unesco Courier. Vol. 28. Paris: UNESCO.
• UNESCO. "Bagan Archaeological Area and Monuments". UNESCO. Retrieved 2012-02-18.

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Bagan.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bagan.

• Bagan Map. DPS Online Maps.
• Bagan Travel Guide
• All about Bagan (english version)
• Free travel images of Bagan
• The Life of the Buddha in 80 Scenes, Ananda Temple Charles Duroiselle, Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Report, Delhi, 1913–14
• The Art and Culture of Burma - the Pagan Period Dr. Richard M. Cooler, Northern Illinois University
• Asian Historical Architecture: Bagan Prof. Robert D. Fiala,
  Concordia University, Nebraska
• Buddhist Architecture at Bagan Bob Hudson, University of Sydney, Australia
• Photographs of temples and paintings of Bagan Part 1 and Part 2
• Bagan moving postcards

Bagan
Preceded by No national capital	Capital of Burma 23 December 849 – 17 December 1297	Succeeded by Myinsaing, Mekkhaya, Pinle Martaban Launggyet