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Old Bagan

The medieval walled city

The area beside the bend in the river, known as Old Bagan, formed the hub of the medieval city. Traces of the fortified walls and gateways that once encircled it on the landward side are still visible in many places, but it is the great concentration of temples and stupas including two giants, the Gawdawpalin and Thatbyinnu Temples- that make this a particularly rewarding area to explore on foot or by bicycle. In 1998, the villagers who lived among the ruins were forcibly relocated south in New Bagan.
Walking from the Aye Yar River Hotel towards Old Bagan on the left there are some brick buildings with among them the So Hla Waing pagoda. Following the road after the Laqueware museum a branch on the left takes you to the Bupaya.
On the N-W corner of the city walls on the banks of the Ayeyarwady the Bupaya stupa is one of the earliest (162-243 AD). Reconstructed after the earthquake in 1975, this small golden pagoda is in the typical Pyu style called ‘Gourd Stupa’ because, with its bulbous profile it resembles the Burmese gourd fruit. Built at a higher elevation on a series of terraces overlooking the Irrawaddy this stupa is a navigational landmark for the boatmen.

Old Bagan

the Bupaya stupa

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In 1200 Bagan was the largest centre of Buddhism in the world. Inspired by the omonimus shrine at Bodh Gaya India, the Mahabodhi is clear indication of leadership of the Buddhist world claimed by Bagan. Inside a double enclosure walls it has a a pyramidal tower with niches containing Buddha images and a slim zedi on the top.
The Tharaba main gate of the eastern wall is the only one left of the twelve gates of the walled city erected in 849. Two shrines contain images of nats the brother Maung Tinde on the left and his sister Thonbanhla on the right.

Old Bagan

The Tharaba main gate

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Situated at the south-east corner of the Old Bagan Thatbyinnyu ‘The omniscience of the Buddha’ (number 1597) a double-storeyed temple covered in white stucco, is the tallest in Bagan. In the exterior form the That-byin-nyu is a great play of cubes with the sanctum of the main image put to the upper level (not accessible).
Today only relics reamin of the walled enclosure that surrounded the temple and some of the gateways. The plan of the Thatbyinnyu is square with porticoes on all four sides with the eastern portico projects further breaking the symmetry. Two tiers of windows along the base provide light to the interior, both the windows and the door have the characteristic "flame” pediments resembling tongues of flame.
Inside there are no mural paintings, a vaulted corridor circumambulate the central block with a number of Buddha monoliths including one rare piece in which the Buddha sits in pralambanasana (at the western style i.e. seated on a chair). Finally, before leave note on the north-east corner of the enclosure the secondary pagoda built with bricks spared from the construction of the main temple.

Old Bagan

Thatbyinnyu temple ‘The omniscience of the Buddha’

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West of Thatbyinnyu there is a group of constructions that can be reached easily on foot following a dusty track.
The first buildling is the Nat-hlaung-kyaung, dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu, it is the earliest surviving temple in Bagan and the only Hindu one built more than a century before introduction of Theravada Buddhism in Bagan. Inside there are brick and stucco stnading images of four armed Vishnu on each side of the central bock. Only few of the Vishnu's '10 Avatars' reliefs of the outside wall today survive.
Just in front very steep stairways climb up the receding terraces of Maha Zedi, surmounted by a bell-shaped dome.
Ngakywenadaung a 10th-century bulbous shaped pagoda in the typical Pyu style. Some of the green-glazed tiles that used to cover the pagoda can still be seen. The sanctum is hollow and accessible from above.
Further on is Pahto Thamya a square block topped with crenellated terraces and an onion shaped sikhara, with a large entrance porch oriented eastwards. Inside the walls of the dark ambulatory corridor are decorated with paintings in poor condition with scenes from the or 'Life of the Buddha' scriptures or bodawin as they are called in modern Burmese. The shrine contains a colossal image of the Buddha in bhumisparsa mudra lit from a skylight in the supersturctrure. Behind it there are two other smaller buddhas.

Old Bagan

the Maha Zedi

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North of Thatbyinnyu there are few lesser known temples: the white Tabetkya stupa, (monument number 1588), the Pitaka Taik (number 1587) a library built to protect the delicate palm leaf manuscripts of the Tipitaka. Finally, guarded by two withe stone lions, the Thandawgya (number 1592).
Walking a little further North we find Shwe-gu-gyi temple (the “Great Golden Cave”) (number 1589), the temple sits upon a tall platform approximately 4m high, a single flight of steps rises from the north-west corner to the open space before the front. The crenellated terraces climb to meet the tall graceful sikhara with a stupa finial rising above. The interior contains four Buddha images seated around the central block.

Old Bagan

The Shwe-gu-gyi temple (the “Great Golden Cave”)

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We move now near the Ayeyarwady River to find the gleaming white Gawdaw Palin temple (number 1622), the second tallest temple and one of the most imposing. Inside a walled enclosure with four gateways the Gawdawpalin is a white stucco two-story temple with stucco moldings still in place. The base is a square in plan, with a hall extending out from the east face, like the Thatbyinnyu the main shrine is on the upper level on top of three receding terraces. Inside at ground level a vaulted corridor runs around a central block where are placed ten Buddha images.

Old Bagan

the Gawdaw Palin temple

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Immediately to the north of the walls of Old Bagan (in the Taung-bi village) there is the Nat Taung Kyaung, the only wooden monastery of architectural significance left in Bagan. Built of teak, one of the most durable wood, like other wooden buildings the monastery is set on a rised wooden platform that offers ventilation and protection from snakes and other unwelcome intruders. Its prominence lies in its numerous woodcarvings of the multi-tiered roof and the conspicuous spires with roofs of descending size.

Old Bagan

The Nat Taung Kyaung wooden monastery

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