Bagan Temples and Pagodas
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CommentsDuring the glorious past of the Bagan kingdom between the 11th and 13th century, there were over 13000 Buddhist temples, monasteries, and pagodas in Bagan. Along with the ups and downs of the historical journey, there are now over 2200 temples and pagodas in Bagan still survival.
Nowadays, Bagan attracts thousands of visitors each years coming to explore the great art and architecture remaining in the impressive temples scattered on the plain. Take a hot air balloon ride, get on an exotic pony cart, and cycling through the dusty path are the best way to discover these beautiful temples.
Take the first step to the town, you can see the man-made masterpiece characterized in each site around the area. 5 of the best temples to watch sunrise and sunset in Bagan are:
- Ta Wet Hpaya Temple – The Secret temple
- Thitsarwadi Temple – Where to close up to the balloon in Bagan
- Shwesandaw Pagoda – The most well-known spot
- Law Ka Ou Saung – A stunning sunrise view
- Pyathetgyi Pagoda – The popular destination
Below are the list of all famous temples and pagodas to visit in Bagan tours
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Shwe Sandaw Pagoda
11th century
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Merit attributed to King Anawrahta (r. 1044-1077)
This is the first spire to evolve from the earlier bulbous or cylindrical shapes into a tapering one that ends sharply […] -
Sulamuni Temple
Completed 1183
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Merit of King Narapati Sithu (r. 1173-1210)
A stone inscription in Bamar dates the construction of the temple to 1183. According to legends, Narapati Sithu saw a ruby […] -
Ananda Temple
Completed 1090
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Merit of King Kyansittha (r.1084-1112)
One of the most beautiful temples in Bagan, the Ananda’s floor plan is like a Greek cross, with paralleled double corridors. The interior […] -
Sein Nyet Ama Temple and Sein Nyet Nyima Pagoda
Estimated 12th century
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Merit attributed to the monk Sein Nyet of the 12th
Some attribute it to Queen Sein Nyet of the 11th century but the style of the temple […] -
Thatbyinnyu Temple
Mid 12th century
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Merit of King Alaung Sithu (r. 1112-1166)
Rising to 210 ft, the Thatbyinnyu is one of the most majestic of Bagan temples which is popular to visit […] -
Htilominlo Temple
Early 13th century
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Merit of King Nadaung Mya also known as Htilominlo (r. 1210-1235)
The stucco details of the exterior walls, or what is left of it, is very fine; […] -
Dhammayan Gyi Temple
Estimated began in 1166, left incomplete
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Merit of King Narathu (r. 1166-1170)
One of the most outstanding masterpieces to discover in a Bagan tour.
A stone inscription in Bamar […] -
Thambula Temple
Completed 1255
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Merit of Thonlu La, queen of King Uzana (r. 1250-1254)
Thambula is the name most commonly used for this temple but its true name in Bamar is Thonlu […] -
Shwezigon Pagoda
Late 11th century – 12th century
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Combined merit of King Anawrahta
(r. 1044-1077) and King Kyansittha (r. 1084-1112)
Shwezigon Pagoda is one of the oldest and most beautiful temples in […] -
Hsin Byushin Complex
Constructed 1311
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Merit of King Thiha Thu of Pinya, (r. 1311-1323) a.k.a Hsin Byushin Lord of the White Elephant
Built 24 years after the fall of Bagan, the Hsin Byushin […] -
Tayoke Pyay Temple
Early 13th century
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Merit of King Narathiha Pati (r. 1254-1287)
The temple had a formal title, long lost under the donor’s infamy of fleeing from the Chinese, ‘Tayoke Pyay’. It […] -
Pyathada Temple
Early 13th century
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Merit of King Kya Swar (r. 1235-1250) but left incomplete
Kya Swar was known as the Philosopher King for he spent all his time studying Buddhist texts. […] -
Lay Myet Hna Complex
Constructed 1223
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Merit of Ananda Thura, Commander in Chief of
King Nadaung Mya (r. 1210-1235)
Ananda Thura and his wife, a princess, donated this complex of temples, pagodas, monasteries and […] -
Pay a Thonzu Temple
Estimated mid to late 13″’ century
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Packed into thousands of ancient temples in Bagan, Pay a Thonze Temple is one of the great attraction to visit in Bagan day trips. […] -
Temple No. 585 (Thaddhamman Yanthi)
(Thaddhamman Yanthi)
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Estimated 13th century
A few yards away and northeast of Nanda Manya is temple number 585, also known as the Thaddhamman Yanthi. It has some interesting murals. The […] -
Nanda Manya Temple
Commissioned 1248
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The merit of King Kya Swar (r. 1235-1250)
This is one of the most well-known temples in Bagan. Dating back to the 13th century, to date, it has become […] -
Winihto Pagoda Complex
Situated north of Minnanthu Village Completed 1224. Merit of nobles Min Mainma and Thanmyin Thamanta Kuntha, Winihto Pagoda Complex will worth a short visit in your Bagan day tour.
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There […] -
Dhamma Yarzika Pagoda
Completed 1196
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Merit of King Narapati Sithu (r. 1173-1210)
It is believed that King Narapati Sithu was looking for a site for a pagoda and saw a column of smoke […] -
Lawka Nanda Pagoda
Estimated 11th century
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Merit of King Anawrahta (r. 1044-1077)
The 86 ft-high pagoda lies on a hill on the bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. Foreign ships once moored here in […] -
East and West Hpet Laik Pagodas
11th century
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Merit attributed to King Anawrahta (r. 1044-1077)
The name Hpet Leik means ‘curled leaf’; there is no record of why the pagodas are thus called. They are commonly-used […] -
Somin Gyi Pagoda and Monastery
Estimated 12th century
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Dating back to more than 10 centuries ago, Somin Gyi Pagoda is one of the stunning destinations to visit in Bagan tours. The pagoda has green-glazed decorations, […] -
Nagayon Temple
Late 11th century
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Merit of King Kyansittha (r. 1084-1112)
Chronicles record the site of this temple as where Kyansittha, while on the run, was protected by a Naga serpent-dragon coiling […] -
Abeyadana Temple
Merit of Abeyadana, chief queen of King Kyansittha (r. 1084-1112)
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Abeyadana is the 11th-century Buddhist temple in Bagan. The temple is elegant. The interior has magnificent wall paintings of Theravada […] -
Nan Paya Temple
Estimated 11th century
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Believed to be the Nan or palace of King Manuha
There is another opinion that this temple was built on the site of Manuha’s palace. The small […] -
Manuha Temple
Estimated 11th century
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Merit attributed to Manuha dethroned the king of Thaton
The Kalyani inscription of the Mon king Dhammazedi (r. 1470 1492) of Hanthawaddy, now present-day Bago, says […] -
Myinkaba Gubyauk Gyi Temple
Completed 1112-1113
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Merit of Prince Raja Kumar, son of King Kyansittha (r. 1084-1112)
Prince Raja Kumar was the son who was passed over for the throne in favour of his […] -
Myinkaba Gubyauk Nge Temple
Estimated late 12th to early 13th century
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Situate north of Myinkaba Gubyauk Gyi
Although called a Gubyauk or illustrated temple, there are no paintings . However this Nge or smaller […] -
Shinbin Thalyaung Temple
Estimated 12″‘ century
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Although built next to the 11th century Shwe Sandaw Pagoda, this 60 ft long reclining image is believed to be a later structure. The pose of the […] -
Lawka Hteik Pan Temple
This small temple not far from the Shwe Sandaw Pagoda is a landmark in evolution of the Bamar language, for the inscriptions in old Bamar here is far numerous than […]
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Pe Natha Gu Complex
Completed 1260
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Situated west of Shwe Sandaw Temple, near the crossroads between Nyaung Oo, Bagan, and New Bagan.
Originally the complex is of five small temples but only three remain […]
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