Google maps: Bagan, Myanmar / Burma
Bagan is often regarded as one of the forgotten grand cities of the past. It is not so forgotten now as it is probably Myanmar's / Burma's biggest tourist attraction.
Bagan (Pagan) Empire ruled today's Burma and most of current Thailand for over 200 years with Bagan as its capital from 1044 to 1287. The Empire flourished and prospered so kings, devout Buddhists, found an honest hobby and went completely crazy about building temples. Building frenzy lasted over 200 years almost until the year of the Empire's collapse and left over 10,000 religious monuments, including 1,000 large stupas. With Empire lost (Mongols helped) the city was completely abandoned until mid-19th century, but still now is rather small with only barely 20,000 inhabitants. All past wooden buildings and palaces are long gone but still remaining are 4,000 brick and stone temples that survived 700 years of neglect, erosion, earthquakes and thieves.
The kings were no petty builders and the place is overwhelming even today. The temples fill up Bagan's plain up to the horizon, all unique, high up to 63m, all lavishly decorated inside and outside. The sunrise view makes you quickly forget the 10-hour boat trip, sleepless night and 4,30am wake up call. You get more amazed with every minute, every temple revealing itself with the morning sun. One could spend months here exploring each of them one by one. I however kept wandering what the whole place must have been like during its peak if this is what is left. Today, similarly as WS Maugham wrote in 1930s, it is just a vague recollection of a fantastic dream. And what a fantastic dream it must have been...
Bagan is often regarded as one of the forgotten grand cities of the past. It is not so forgotten now as it is probably Myanmar's / Burma's biggest tourist attraction.
Bagan (Pagan) Empire ruled today's Burma and most of current Thailand for over 200 years with Bagan as its capital from 1044 to 1287. The Empire flourished and prospered so kings, devout Buddhists, found an honest hobby and went completely crazy about building temples. Building frenzy lasted over 200 years almost until the year of the Empire's collapse and left over 10,000 religious monuments, including 1,000 large stupas. With Empire lost (Mongols helped) the city was completely abandoned until mid-19th century, but still now is rather small with only barely 20,000 inhabitants. All past wooden buildings and palaces are long gone but still remaining are 4,000 brick and stone temples that survived 700 years of neglect, erosion, earthquakes and thieves.
The kings were no petty builders and the place is overwhelming even today. The temples fill up Bagan's plain up to the horizon, all unique, high up to 63m, all lavishly decorated inside and outside. The sunrise view makes you quickly forget the 10-hour boat trip, sleepless night and 4,30am wake up call. You get more amazed with every minute, every temple revealing itself with the morning sun. One could spend months here exploring each of them one by one. I however kept wandering what the whole place must have been like during its peak if this is what is left. Today, similarly as WS Maugham wrote in 1930s, it is just a vague recollection of a fantastic dream. And what a fantastic dream it must have been...
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