Burma or the Republic of Myanmar is a huge archaeological reserve, which has well preserved traces of ancient civilizations. During the thousands years of history, Myanmar has seen three mighty empires. Their oldest capitals still bear their charm, a huge number of temples have survived since then, but even a larger amount of them comes in ruins.
The view of collapsed walls and ruins of the giant statues are seized with the local rich jungles. One of the best way of learning more about the country is travelling along the local villages and towns and talking with the inhabitants. Another option is visiting the local pagodas, which are 2500 here, giving a unique golden glow to the state. The most popular one of all is Shwedagon Pagoda, which has a height of 100 m and is completely covered with gold.
Burma is full of fascinating historical sites. Their more combined elements can be seen in remarkable museums of the country. You’ll be able to learn a lot of information when visiting the National Museum of Art and Archaeology in Yangon and the State Museums in Mandalay.
The main attractions of Myanmar are the local pagodas, ancient caves and the famous local, open-air market of gold and silver products. In Bago together with pagodas, you’ll also find a huge statue of the Reclining Buddha (built back in 994). In Yangon you will find the Peace Pagoda, built in 1952 in honor of the anniversary of the 2500 death of Buddha.
Some of you might be familiar with Robbie Williams’s song “Road to Mandalay”, when the place is just astonishing. In Mandalay, which is the center of Buddhism, there are more than 700 beautiful pagodas. Nearby is the town of Myint-jan with the ruins of Bagan – the capital of the first state in Burma.
Amarapura is the ancient capital of the royal dynasty. U Bein Bridge, built in the 18th century for the convenient movement of the locals is preserved to up this day: it is the world’s largest wooden bridge having 1,200 feet length, and being located at the height of three meters above the sea level.
Inwa is an ancient capital, which means “city of gems”. The city was build on an artificial canal, which was connected to the local river. The place is still being used as a great history preserver, which can tell a lot about the ancient times of the country.
Bagan is known to be the city of pagodas and temples. The nature of the city is appealing, as it stands on the bank of the river. It used to be the capital of Burma for a long time and then was destroyed. Now the place is a highly appreciated historical site, which attracts not only archaeologists, but also the curious travelers. The story of the site might be discovered in Bagan Archaeological Museum, which has an enhanced collection of items representing the history of the city. The journey should be continued with the visit to the temples here, where you can get closer to the history and culture of the state.
Only 60 km away from the city you will find the sacred mountain Popa Taung-Kalat, which is a center for worship and pilgrimage. The volcano top hosts a monastery. The locals believe that there’s a spirit living there. The rest of the mountain is a park-reservation.
Sagaing used to be the capital of the country after the fall of Bagan. While preserving some interesting elements of the medieval times, the city was a capital only for a few years.
