 | ||
| Mingun | ||
| region | Sagaing region | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | unknown | |
no value for residents on Wikidata:  | ||
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Mingun(Burmese: မင်းကွန်း မြို့) is a village and well known historical site north of Mandalay in Myanmar.
background
Mingun is actually not a real city. The somewhat ostentatious King Bodawpaya originally came from Rakhine. He also brought the famous Buddha statue that is now in the Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay stands. Here in Mingun he wanted to realize some megalomaniac building projects. The royal capital was then Amarapura.
getting there
| Distances | |
| Mandalay | 11 km |
|---|---|
The nearest train station and airport are in Mandalay.
In the street
The approach by road is from the Sagaing Bridge. You should get a car for the trip.
By boat
It takes 1.5 hours to get there by boat from Mandalay. Departures from Mandalay quay whenever the boat is full. Tickets (MMK 300) are available from the Inland Water Transport Office on the quay. A departure time between 07:00 and 08:00 is ideal. It is definitely worth showing up earlier. So you can watch the hustle and bustle at the river port of Mandalay for a while and walk a few meters along the embankment.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
There is an entrance fee of $ 3 for the historic Mingun site.
- 1 Mingun Pagoda.
In 1790, King Bodawpaya ordered the construction of the Mingun Pagoda. With a height of 150 m on an area of 150 m², it should be the largest pagoda in the world. However, it was never completed. The king died after twenty years and his successor did not push ahead with the construction, so only the base was erected - but at least 50 meters high. An earthquake in 1838 destroyed the part that had been built up until then. Now it's probably the largest pile of bricks in the world. But you can climb this part (barefoot). The associated 33 meter high chinthes towards the river bank were completed, but have since broken.
- Mingun Bell. This is the largest intact and working bell in the world (the bell in Moscow is larger but damaged). Everyone can make them sound with a wooden stick. It is 4 m high and 5 m in diameter and weighs around 90 tons. The bell founder paid for his masterpiece with his life. The king himself killed him so that the secret of this art of bell casting would not benefit any other ruler.
- 2 Hsinbyume Pagoda.This white pagoda is located north of the Mingun Bell. It recreates the Buddhist cosmos - Mount Meru and the seven seas.
- Settawya Pagoda. This snow-white painted pagoda (see picture above) is not far from the boat dock. Their terraces face the river bank.
- The wise monk. In a small pavilion stands the gold-colored statue of a monk with black glasses, the well-known Mingun Sayadaw, whose monastery is at the entrance to the village. During his lifetime he knew all the sutras of the Pali canon (teachings of the Buddha) by heart. If you read 8 hours a day, you would need 450 days just to read the 40 volumes. He died in 1993.
- Pondaw Pagoda. It represents a model of the planned Mingun Pagoda.
activities
shop
You can buy some souvenirs at the pagodas. The many small children who try to sell cigars to tourists are almost a bit of a nuisance. With cute flowers in their hair and looking at one of the faithful children's eyes, they are present throughout the tour.
kitchen
There are a number of food and drink stands along the path between the pagodas.
nightlife
There is no night life at this historically interesting site as it is only a day trip from Mandalay is. The last ship goes back to the city between 15:00 and 16:00.
accommodation
This is just a historical place. There is only a small village in the south. There is therefore no accommodation in Mingun.
health
The nearest medical care options are 11 kilometers away Mandalay.
Practical advice
As in the rest of the country, communication options are still very limited. For international phone calls and access to your e-mails you should use the options in Mandalay use.
trips
Mingun is only an excursion destination from Mandalay out. Due to its location, it is difficult to combine it with other excursion destinations into one tour.
