Nan Paya Temple

Nan Paya Temple

Estimated 11th century
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 temple is a lovely structure, the special point of interest being the four square pillars in the central hall with bas-relief carvings. The exterior walls are covered with 10 inches of stone beautifully carved in places while the pillars inside are of solid stone. The temple is decorated with exquisitely carved motifs, figures, and mythical creatures such as the Maggan.

Nan Paya Temple
Nan Paya Temple

On the pillars are eight huge figures of Brahma and eight panels of flowers, all wonderfully carved. The stones are the same type used to build the 11th-century Kyaukgu Umin Temple, of a greenish, fine-grained and hard sandstone that was not quarried anywhere around Bagan. Likely the material was brought from elsewhere at great expense. The use of the same material could mean that the two temples were built almost simultaneously.

Meditating little monk inside Nan Paya Temple
Meditating little monk inside Nan Paya Temple