bago

The City of Bago is situated on the river of same name, 80 km northeast of Yangon. The ancient capital of "Hanthawadi " said to have founded in 573 AD by two Mon princes from the capital Thaton. In 13th century Bago became the center of the Mon kingdom of "Ramanadesa" which consist of all lower Myanmar. In 16th century Burmese took over the capital when king "Tabinshwehti" annexed Bago to his "Taungoo" second dynasty kingdom. It is still surrounded by the ruins of its old wall and moat. There were 42 kings in the Bago Dynasty. Razadirit, Queen Shin Saw Bu, Dhamazedi and Bayinnaung were great rulers. Shwethalyaung reclining Buddha Image Measuring 55 meter long and 16 meter high is reputed to be one of the largest as well as most life link of most reclining Buddha images. Originally built of brick and stucco in 994 AD by the king Mon king "Migadepa II". It was however deteriorate and was restored several times during it existence before the destruction of Bago in 16 century. Thus the huge Buddha Image was completely covered by overgrown jungle until British occupation when an Indian contractor found it accidentally digging earth in construction on railways line.

Shwe-maw-daw Pagoda

Over 2000-yeat-old Shwe-maw-daw Pagoda,114- meter-high Buddha Image overlooks the land scrape, was built by two merchants 'Taphussa' and ' Bhikkika', and was rebuilt several times because of damaged caused by earthquakes. The gilded Pagoda is said to house a number of Holy Relics of the Buddha and is consequently one of the most venerated pagodas in the country.
Entrance Fee - US$ 2

Maha-zedi Pagoda

The Maha-zedi Pagoda or the great pagoda, where only man are allowed to ascend the steps to the top of the 100-meters high structure was built in 1560 to house a duplicate tooth of the Buddha and Emerald Bowl containing more of his relics. There is an another similar pagoda in Sagaing upper Myanmar.
Entrance fee -US$ 2

Shwe-tha-hlaung Pagoda

The huge 1000-years-old Shwe-tha-hlaung Pagoda is reckoned to be one of the largest reclining Buddha and the most life-like, measuring 55-meters in length and 16-meters in high.
Entrance Fess -US$ 2

Kan-baw-zathati Palace

Bago is one of the richest archaeological site in Myanmar. The Archaeology department has being excavating at the Palace site of King Ba-yin-naug at the ancient Royal Capital Bago.
Actually, Ba-yin-naung was the title, not the name. Shin-yehtut was Ba-yin-naung's name. It was at "the battle of Naung-yoe" in 1538 that Shin-yehtut earned the title "Ba-yin-naung". Ba-yin-naung literally means the king's elder brother. King Tabinshwehti, brother-in-law of Bayin-naung, had high regret for Shin-yehtut. The king conferred upon him the unusual title of Ba-yin-naung and the fief of Hlaing Town.
King Tabin-shwehti and Shin-yehtut fought side by side in wars of National Unification. Bayin-naung became king a year after the death of king Tabin-shwehti in AD 1551. After assuming office, King Bayin-naung became his career of Conquest, building the Second Myanmar Empire. 
The creditable achievement of King Bayin-naung was fully recorded in Myanmar history. Especially, the new Capital "Hamsavaddy"(Hanthawady) which king Bayin-naung founded and the new palace Kanbawzathadi that he built where mentioned in some details not only in native chronicles but also in Foreign Historical Writings.
Achievement of King Bayin-naung's military campaigns, political, social and religious merits his capital palace Kanbawzathadi are world renown. An immortal fame and historic figure like King Bayin-naung, the royal capital Hamsavaddy and that of the palace Kanbawzathadi at Bago have been well known to the Myanmar People.
The work of excavation and restoration of old capital and palace was begun in 1990. The archaeological diggings made good progress which enthusiasm and high tempo. The construction work of some historic buildings has to complete during Visit Myanmar year 1996. 

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