When was bagan built

The Bagan Archaeological Zone covers an area 13 km by 8 km 8 mi x 5 mi , with Old Bagan at its heart. Most of the Bagan temples fall into one of two categories: stupa-style solid temples, and gu-style hollow temples.

The Bagan stupas or pagodas , took their influence from early Pyu constructions as well as India and Ceylon, and represent Mount Meru in the Buddhist cosmos. They are usually bell-shaped, with one or more rectangular terraces at their base, and contain a relic chamber.

The main features of the hollow, gu-style temples, meanwhile, are a vaulted indoor chamber and pointed arches. This technique of vaulting is thought to have been developed in Bagan in the 11th century, only to be forgotten by craftsmen in later eras. Bagan started life as a small settlement, thought to have been founded in the late-ninth century by the early Burmans, who had migrated to the Irrawaddy Valley from what is now southern China. Over the course of about years, Bagan gradually grew to absorb these neighbouring principalities, and in the midth century King Anwrahta founded the Pagan Kingdom — unifying for the first time the regions that would form the basis of modern Burma.

From until , Bagan was the capital of this kingdom, growing steadily in size and wealth to become a major centre for religion including both Theravada, Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism as well as Hindu and animist traditions , scholarship, astrology, medicine and law. At this time, the Pagan Kingdom was equal in sophistication and power with the neighbouring Khmer Empire, and attracted monks and scholars from all over South and Southeast Asia.

In the midth century, a series of Mongol invasions sent the already rather unstable Pagan Empire into decline. During this time, some religious monuments continued to be built in Bagan, until slowly but surely it halted altogether.

Only around monuments were built between the 15th and 19th centuries. Though it has diminished from a city of up to , inhabitants to a small town, Bagan has continued to survive as a significant pilgrimage site throughout history until the present day. Many of its monuments fell into disrepair in the centuries following the fall of Pagan, while others were repainted or fitted with new religious statues. The empire experienced prosperous times, mainly based on agriculture. Towards the end of the 13 th century Bagan was invaded several times by the Mongol armies led by Kublai Khan, the Great Khan of the Mongol empire who reigned from until Another invasion in finally led to the end of the Bagan empire.

After the 15 th century Bagan was mostly deserted and most temples fell into disrepair. The town was still a destination for pilgrimage, but the number of temples that was maintained well was limited to some of the most famous temples such as the Ananda and the Shwezigon. Of the well over 10, monuments built some 2, remain today. The structures still standing are built of brick, while the wooden buildings like the Palace and the houses have not survived.

The remaining temples and pagodas are in various states of repair, some very well maintained and restored, while others are neglected and overgrown with vegetation. Renown Travel. Expansion of the empire and massive temple building Over the next centuries thousands of temples and pagoda were built by Royals as well as prosperous inhabitants of the city in order to gain religious merit.

The Introduction of Buddhism and scriptures by the famous monk Shin Arahan are representative of this. Monuments of the early Bagan era, such as inscriptions of the Mon language; Manuha temple, which was founded by Mon king; and pagodas characterized by the style of the Pyu culture that flourished before Bagan, are the best examples of cultural exchanges of the time.

In the 12th century, the kingdom developed even further. Buddhism was accepted by a wide population, not only the king, but also ministers and officials actively participated in the construction of pagodas. As a result, the land where pagodas were built gradually expanded to inland areas far from the castle.

The use of Burmese script had also spread, and the pagoda builders started inscribing the pagodas to convey information to future generations. The name and title of the builder, the details of the land and items donated accompanying the pagoda were written. These inscriptions are valuable clues to understand Bagan society of that time. However, in the 13th century the dynastic dynamics of the dynasty started to disappear. It is said that the enthusiasm of constructing the pagodas was excessive enough to tilt national strength wreaks havoc in one opinion.

As a result, pagodas constructed toward the end of the dynasty tended to be more compact compared to those built before them. The decisive blow was the war with the Yuan dynasty of China. In the Yunnan area, the battle forces of both countries intensified, leading to a massive collision. After the fierce battle, the Bagan dynasty was defeated. Shortly after, the kingdom disappeared, leaving behind innumerous pagodas.

Other Southeast Asian dynasties of that time, such as Angkor in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia, have long been forgotten. However, Bagan was substantially different in that it did not lose faith in its importance by subsequent generations.