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Mawlamyine

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Mawlamyine is a large and important city in Myanmar.

Moulmein-and-river
Moulmein-and-river

It sits in the Salween River delta. The city is located near where the Thanlwin River meets the Gulf of Martaban and the Andaman Sea. You can see low hills nearby that are dotted with old pagodas.

Architecture at Kyaikthanlan Paya
Architecture at Kyaikthanlan Paya

The weather here is tropical and monsoon. This means there is a long dry season from mid-November to mid-April. Then, a very wet season arrives from mid-April to mid-November.

One of the most famous places is the Kyaikthanlan Pagoda. It sits high on a ridge with a wide view of the city.

Moulmeinfromgreatpagoda
Moulmeinfromgreatpagoda

The pagoda is surrounded by 34 smaller temples. It holds sacred treasures like a hair relic of Buddha and a tooth relic. Legend says the pagoda was built in 875 AD. Another important site is the U-zina Pagoda. This pagoda is named after a sage who fixed it in 1838.

Mawlamyine University - panoramio
Mawlamyine University - panoramio

The history of the city is very long and varied. Long ago, it was one of thirty-two Mon cities. In 1541, King Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung captured the city. Later, it became the first capital of British Burma between 1826 and 1852.

Four Princesses of Burma
Four Princesses of Burma

During this colonial time, the city grew through the timber trade. Many different countries even opened offices here. Germany, Siam, and the United States all had agencies in the city.

Mawlamyine has inspired many famous writers. The writer George Orwell lived here as a police officer in 1926. His essay "Shooting an Elephant" was set in this city.

Moulmein-and-river
Moulmein-and-river

The poet Rudyard Kipling also wrote about a pagoda in Moulmein. His famous poem "Mandalay" mentions the old pagoda by the sea. The city also has a rich mix of people. In the past, an area was called "Little England" because of its large Anglo-Burmese community.

Traveling around the area is easy with many options. The Thanlwin Bridge is a huge landmark for the region.

Tanlwen
Tanlwen

It is the longest road and rail bridge in Myanmar. It connects the southeastern part of the country to Yangon. You can also travel by plane, bus, or taxi. Many people use motorized tricycles called tuk-tuks to get around.

A and J Inglis SS Karagola (1887) 01
A and J Inglis SS Karagola (1887) 01

Even water transport is still used to connect nearby towns.

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🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Moulmein-and-river.jpg
Moulmein-and-river.jpg
File:Mawlamyine-1.jpg
Mawlamyine-1.jpg
File:Tanlwen.jpg
Tanlwen.jpg
File:A and J Inglis SS Karagola (1887) 01.jpg
A and J Inglis SS Karagola (1887) 01.jpg
File:Moulmeinfromgreatpagoda.JPG
Moulmeinfromgreatpagoda.JPG
File:Architecture at Kyaikthanlan Paya.jpg
Architecture at Kyaikthanlan Paya.jpg
File:Four Princesses of Burma.jpg
Four Princesses of Burma.jpg
File:Silk Road in the I century AD - en.svg
Silk Road in the I century AD - en.svg
File:Mawlamyine MMR011001701, Myanmar (Burma) - panoramio (50).jpg
Mawlamyine MMR011001701, Myanmar (Burma)...
File:Mawlamyine University - panoramio.jpg
Mawlamyine University - panoramio.jpg
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