Mandalay Palace, Royal palace in central Mandalay, Myanmar
The palace complex occupies a square area of 2 kilometers on each side, protected by high walls and surrounded by a 64-meter-wide moat.
King Mindon constructed the palace between 1857 and 1859, establishing it as the new royal capital until British forces captured it in 1885.
The palace architecture follows traditional Burmese design principles, with single-story buildings crowned by decorative spires indicating each structure's importance.
Visitors can access the palace grounds daily from 7 AM to 5 PM through the entrance ticket included in the Mandalay Archaeological Zone pass.
The Royal Mint, where Myanmar's first coins were produced in 1865, stands as one of the few original structures that survived World War II.
Location: Mandalay
Inception: 1859
GPS coordinates: 21.99294,96.09591
Latest update: May 27, 2025 08:46
Myanmar offers photographers an exceptional range of subjects, from ancient temple complexes to natural landscapes. The archaeological zone of Bagan, with more than 2,000 pagodas and temples spread across 40 square miles (104 square kilometers), ranks among Southeast Asia's most significant historical sites. The golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, its central stupa rising 325 feet (99 meters), dominates the skyline of the former capital. At Inle Lake, photographers document the daily life of locals who propel their boats with a distinctive leg-rowing technique, along with floating gardens and villages built on stilts. The country's temple architecture appears in various forms: the white Ananda Temple in Bagan from the 11th century, the Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay with its 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist texts, or the 2,478 stupas at Kakku in Shan State. U Bein Bridge near Amarapura, a 0.75-mile (1.2-kilometer) teak bridge built in 1850, draws photographers especially at sunrise and sunset. Natural formations such as the limestone caves at Pindaya containing thousands of Buddha statues, or the Golden Rock at Kyaiktiyo appearing to balance on a cliff edge, expand the photographic possibilities. Beyond the well-known sites, other compelling subjects emerge: the colonial character of Mawlamyaing, the limestone mountains around Hpa-an, the 2,417-foot (737-meter) Mount Popa with its monastery atop a volcanic plug, or Gokteik Viaduct, a 2,260-foot (689-meter) railway bridge from the British colonial period. The 590-foot (180-meter) reclining Buddha statue Win Sein Taw Ya near Mawlamyaing and the monumental Buddha statues at Monywa demonstrate the scale of religious art in the country. The beaches at Ngapali on the west coast provide contrast to the cultural and historical sites in the interior.
U Bein Bridge
12 km
Mahamuni Buddha Temple
4.9 km
Kuthodaw Pagoda
2.2 km
Mahamuni Buddha
4.9 km
Mingun Bell
10.5 km
Mingun Pahtodawgyi
10.4 km
Shwenandaw Monastery
2 km
Hsinbyume Pagoda
10.8 km
Bagaya Monastery
9.1 km
Sandamuni Pagoda
1.8 km
Atumashi Monastery
1.9 km
Mahagandhayon Monastery
11.8 km
Kyauktawgyi Buddha Temple
1.7 km
Yadanabon Zoological Gardens
1.5 km
Mandalarthiri Stadium
5.5 km
Bahtoo Stadium
1.2 km
Shweinbin Monastery
4.3 km
Yaw Mingyi Monastery
2.5 km
Salin Monastery
2.2 km
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Mandalay
1.9 km
Taiktaw Monastery
1.3 km
Man Myanmar Plaza
2.3 km
Tawagu Pagoda
1.5 km
Maha Min Htin Monastery
4.5 km
Mogaung Monastery
2 km
Shwekyimyint Pagoda
1.7 km
Man Thida Park
1.1 km
Little Stars Water Park
4.2 kmReviews
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