Mingalazedi Pagoda, Buddhist pagoda in Bagan, Myanmar.
Mingalazedi is a Buddhist pagoda in Bagan, Myanmar, built on three stacked rectangular terraces that lead up to a bell-shaped stupa ringed with horizontal bands. The whole structure is made of brick, and the outer edges of the terraces carry rows of glazed terracotta plaques.
The pagoda was completed in 1274 under King Narathihapate, and it turned out to be the last major temple built before the Mongol invasion brought the First Burmese Empire to a close. That timing made it the final chapter of more than two centuries of temple construction in Bagan.
The terraces are lined with glazed terracotta plaques showing scenes from the Jataka tales, stories about the previous lives of the Buddha. Walking around the base, visitors can follow these scenes almost like pages of a book carved in fired clay.
The pagoda sits just south of the old Bagan city wall area and is easy to reach on foot or by bicycle. Access to the upper terrace is currently restricted, but the lower levels and the surrounding grounds can be visited freely, and the light is best in the early morning or late afternoon.
Within the temple grounds stands a brick building that houses some of the oldest known lacquerware from Bagan, dating to the 13th century. It is rare to find a temple that keeps such objects on site, which sets this place apart from most others in the area.
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