Bagan

Bagan is an ancient city located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar.

It sits on the vast plains of Upper Burma near the Irrawaddy River. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means it is a place of global importance. It served as the capital of the Pagan Empire from 1044 to 1287. This empire was the first to unify the regions that would later become Myanmar. Today, the Bagan Archaeological Zone is a major center for the country's growing tourism industry.

The city's history involves different perspectives on its origins. Royal chronicles claim Bagan was founded in the second century CE. They say King Pyinbya fortified the city in 849. However, many western scholars believe a different timeline. They suggest the Mranma people founded Bagan in the mid-to-late 9th century. These people had moved into the Irrawaddy valley from the Nanzhao Kingdom. At first, Bagan was just one of several competing Pyu city-states. By the late 10th century, the Burman settlement grew in both authority and grandeur.

Bagan was a massive center for religious and secular studies. It was a cosmopolitan center where people from many cultures lived. Students and monks traveled from far away to reach the city. They came from India, Sri Lanka, and the Khmer Empire. The city specialized in Pali scholarship, which involves grammar and philosophical-psychological studies called abhidhamma. People also studied medicine, law, astrology, alchemy, and phonology.

This variety of knowledge made Bagan a vital intellectual hub for the region.

Religion shaped almost every part of life in the city. The religious landscape was fluid and included many different traditions. Theravada Buddhism co-existed with Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism. People also practiced Hindu schools, such as Saivite and Vaishana traditions. Native animist traditions, known as nat, were also present. While royal patronage helped Theravada Buddhism gain primacy after the mid-11th century, other faiths continued to thrive.

This mix of beliefs created a unique and diverse cultural environment.

The scale of construction in Bagan was truly enormous. Between the 11th and 13th centuries, builders created over 10,000 religious monuments. This included approximately 1,000 stupas, 10,000 small temples, and 3,000 monasteries.

The peak of this building period occurred between 1150 and 1200. During this time, most of the largest buildings were constructed. Construction began in a walled core known as Old Bagan. Later, new clusters of monuments emerged to the east, such as the Minnanthu monastic area.

This building boom created a very prosperous economy. Many different professions were needed to support the construction. Brickmakers, masons, and carpenters were in high demand. Artisans worked with gold, silver, bronze, and ceramics.

Even after buildings were finished, they required constant maintenance. This provided steady work for both skilled artisans and unskilled laborers. Accountants, bankers, and scribes were also needed to manage temple properties. Because these workers were paid well, many people moved to Bagan from other regions. This influx of people included immigrants from the Dvaravati, Srivijaya, and Chola empires.

The Pagan Empire eventually collapsed in 1287. This decline happened during a period of repeated Mongol invasions between 1277 and 1301. Some researchers believe the Mongol armies did not actually reach Bagan itself. They suggest the decline might have been caused by something else. One theory is that provincial governors became a new power elite. These leaders established new capitals, leaving Bagan as a backwater. The city's population dropped from as many as 200,000 people to a small town. By December 1297, Bagan was no longer the capital of Burma.

Nature has also impacted the survival of Bagan's monuments. The city is located in an active earthquake zone. Between 1904 and 1975, there were over 400 recorded earthquakes. A major earthquake in 1975 reached a magnitude of 8.0 and severely damaged many temples.

Another large earthquake hit in 2016 and damaged nearly 400 temples.

Despite these events, over 2,200 temples and pagodas still stand today. Visitors can still see the beauty of the plains, often by riding in hot air balloons.