MANDALAY City
Mandalay is the second-largest city of Myanmar, located on the east bank of Ayeyarwady river. It is an important economic centre of the northern side of Myanmar and is regarded as a cultural centre of the country. The city has been named after the nearby Mandalay Hill. Mandalay was the former capital of the country and has a rich history behind it. It was founded at the foothills of the Mandalay hill in 1857 by King Mindon. The city was founded to fulfil a prophecy of founding a metropolis of Buddhism on the occasion of the 2400th anniversary of setting up of Buddhism. The city served as the capital of the country until its final annexation by the British Empire in 1885. From the ornate royal palace to breathtaking sunsets over the river, Mandalay takes days to explore. It provides a thorough glimpse of the culture of Myanmar and its people.
Origin
Mandalay has people from Myanmar, Kayin, Kayah, Chin, Pao, Mon, Shan. Most people speak Myanmarese/Burmese, Shan, Chinese, limited English and follow Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism.
geography
Mandalay has a mild climate with no rainy season like a dry zone. It is bordered by Magway Region, Sagaing Region and Shan State. It spreads across 37,024 sq.km/ 14,295 miles.
Interesting facts
Mandalay City is the capital of Mandalay Region and is the former capital of Myanmar. As per 2014 data, 6.1 million people live here.
With a significant history behind it, Mandalay takes a tourist back to the 19th Century when the city was formed. Mandalay was the last royal city before the country was colonised by Britain in 1885. Evidence of this rich history can be seen in the royal city which houses the magnificent palace complex which was devastated during World War II. Tourists can also visit the Mandalay Palace which was the last palace built by Burmese royals. The palace is located at the heart of Mandalay and is surrounded by a moat and a wall. Another significant monument to visit is the gigantic Mingun Bell stupa located near the city. Mandalay also hosts a number of Monasteries and Pagodas of historical significance such as the Atumashi Monastery, Kyuktawgui Pagoda, Maha Mya Muni Pagoda, Shwenandaw Monastery, Hsinbyume Pagoda, Mingun Pahtodawgyi and many more. The Kuthodoaw Pagoda hosts the world's biggest book, a listed item on the Memory of UNESCO.
Myanmar is often regarded as the cultural centre of the country and rightly deserves the name. Apart from the innumerable cultural monuments and historic buildings, Myanmar is also home to several art and craft centres. Tourists can visit the stone carving workshops near the Mahamuni pagoda and watch artisans at work. The Mandalay region is famous for its wood-work and tourists are welcome to visit wood carving workshops. Tourists can also visit bronze casting workshops, pottery village and silk weaving mills. Mandalay is also home to several shopping areas where tourists can purchase mementoes and traditional Myanmarese handicrafts. Zeygo is the central market located at the heart of Mandalay. From groceries and consumer goods to jewellery, an enormous range of products is available in this market. Mandalay also hosts two 18 hole golf courses which are located 12 kilometres outside the city. Tourists can also enjoy artistic performances which keep happening all over the city. A visit to Mandalay is incomplete without gorging on some mouthwatering local delicacies served by warm and friendly locals.
The Ayeyarwady being the main river of the country has been the source of development of several towns big and small. While Mandalay is one of the largest such settlement, there are several smaller towns located only a few kilometres away from Mandalay which are heaven for tourists. One such town of significance is Mingun located 10 kilometres away from Mandalay. It has impressive sights and takes about half a day to explore. Mingun is known for its enormous unfinished stupa Mingun Pahtodawgyi, Mingun Bell and Hsinbyume Pagoda. Another town which tourists can visit is Innwa which has immense historical background. It is about 21 kilometres from Mandalay and was the capital of several kingdoms from the 14th till the 19th century. It hosts the Maha Aung Mye Bonzan Monastery, the Bagaya Kyaung Monastery and a 1200 metre long bridge which crosses from Ava to Sagaing. There are several pottery villages such as the Yandabo village and the Kyauk Myaung village which can be visited too.
