The Pagan Kingdom’s capital saw more than 3,500 Buddhist monuments rise on the Irrawaddy plain from the 9th to 13th centuries. Brick stupas and temples in myriad forms—solid stupas, hollow gu‑type halls, and towering shikhara—encode Theravāda devotion and Burmese craftsmanship. Earthquakes, restoration campaigns, and UNESCO listing (2019) shape today’s conservation and tourism.
Under Anawrahta and successors, Bagan consolidated Theravāda Buddhism, attracting artisans and monks across Asia. Royal patronage and merchant wealth financed stupas, monasteries, and libraries linked by processional roads and irrigation.
Bagan’s monuments span: (1) solid stupas (reliquary mounds), (2) hollow temples (gu) with ambulatory paths and murals, and (3) tall shikhara forms influenced by North Indian models. Fired brick laid with lime and stucco created refined profiles; timber roofs and plaster murals completed interiors.
Irrigation canals and tanks supported agriculture and monastic estates. The city’s grid loosely followed topography and river levees, with temples clustering along processional spines and pilgrim routes.
Seismic hits (notably 1975 and 2016) toppled finials and cracked vaults. Earlier reconstructions introduced cement and modern profiles, prompting authenticity concerns. Current practice favors minimal intervention, compatible lime mortars, and documentation.
Sunrise and sunset vistas draw crowds to elevated terraces; closures and rotation protect vulnerable structures. Wayfinding, site museums, and community crafts aim to distribute benefits while discouraging unsafe climbs.
