Amarapura

Amarapura

Amarapura meaning "City of Immortality" is a city in the Mandalay Division of Myanmar, situated 11 km to the south of Mandalay. The locals sometimes refer to it as Taungmyo (Southern City) to distinguish it from Mandalay (Northern City).

U Bein bridge is just across the Taungthaman Lake.

King Bodawpaya (1781-1819) of the Konbaung Dynasty founded Amarapura to be his new capital in 1783, soon after he ascended the throne. In 1795, he received the first British embassy to visit Burma. Bodawpaya’s son, King Bagyidaw (1819-1837), moved the Court back to Inwa in 1823.

From 1841-1857, King Mindon Min (1853-1878) decided to make Amarapura the capital again, before relocating to his planned city of Mandalay in 1860. Today, little remains of the old city, as the palace buildings were dismantled and move by elephant to the new location, and the city walls were pulled down for use as building materials for roads and railways.

The city is known today for silk and cotton weaving, and bronze casting. It is a popular tourist day-trip from Mandalay.

Here are some of the popular places to visit in Amarapura.

• Pahtodawgyi – A paya built by King Bodawpaya in 1820 outside the city walls

• Bagaya Kyaung – wooden monastery founded by King Mindon

• U Bein’s Bridge – a 1.2 km wooden footbridge (longest teak bridge in the world)

• Kyautawgyi Paya – A temple constructed by King Pagan in 1847

• Palace Ruins – containing tombs of King Bodawpaya and King Bagyidaw. In 1800, Buddhist clergy from Sri Lanka obtained higher ordination in this city and founded the Amarapura Nikaya.
  
   

 

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