"Bagan" Historical Site

Bagan is an ancient city in the Mandalay Division of Burma. Bagan is a plain in the middle of Myanmar. It covers a 16 square mile area along the east bank of the Ayeyarwaddy. The monuments which are now in all stages of decompose were erected mostly from the 11th to 13th centuries A.D., when Bagan was the seat of the Myanmar dynasty.

The majority of its buildings were built in the 1000s to 1200s. Bagan was the capital of the First Burmese Empire during the construction of the temples. Once King Pyinbya moved the capital to Bagan in 874, it became a major city. The capital shifted with each reign because of Burmese custom. So Bagan was again deserted until the Anawrahta’s reign, when in 1057 he conquered Thaton’s capital of Mon in an effort to transform Bagan into a religious and cultural centre. King Anawrahta completed Theravada Buddhism a state religion with the help of a priest. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Bagan became a truly cosmopolitan place of Buddhist studies, showing monks and students.

The older generations thought that if a person from a noble family had died brutally, then he becomes a Nat. These superhuman Nats, when correctly propitiated, could help worshipers in accomplishing significant tasks and vanquishing enemies. When King Anawrahta wanted to make Theravada Buddhism the national faith, he tried to forbid the Nat worship in Bagan. As part of his anti-Nat movement, he ordered the destruction of all Nat shrines in the kingdom. But today all these nats live together in a big gallery. They have different images of kings, queens, animals or some mysterious creatures. Some of them are very quiet, including spirits of trees, rivers, snakes. Some of them keep the spirits of people who have met a violent death.

Concerning 2,200 temples and stupas remain today in a variety of states. Some are in great shape and some are in dense and small ruins of their former selves. All temples and stupas are considered holy sites, so be sure to dress properly and take off your shoes before entering any temples. Myanmar has a type of a traditional heritage from generation to generation which is the worshipping of the Nats or the Spiritual Beings. Here you can find places to stay in a variety of cheap, old-fashioned, clean hotels and religious centers.