Page 305 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

INWA Mandalay and around 303
The city was founded in 1313 by King Thihathu, youngest of the three brothers who
had previously established the Myinsaing Kingdom (see p.361), perhaps the most
significant of the various mini-states which emerged following the collapse of Bagan.
From Pinya, Thihathu and his successors controlled a sizeable swathe of central
Myanmar between 1313 and 1364, when the kingdom was merged with that of nearby
Sagaing (see box, p.281).
The small but modestly interesting sight sees few visitors but is an easy stop-off
while travelling to or from the airport. Little remains of Thihathu’s former capital,
once covering over a square kilometre, save a brooding trio of almost windowless
Bagan-style temples (currently under restoration, although you can still visit), built
of red brick and still preserving traces of old murals and glazed tiles decorated with
Jataka scenes.

Inwa
7
Now a sleepy rural village, INWA was once a place of great importance. Originally
known as Ava, it served as the capital of Myanmar on four separate occasions, totalling
over three hundred years (see box, p.281) – almost impossible to imagine today while
you’re rumbling between fields along the dusty lanes.
Scattered in and around the ancient city walls, sections of which remain visible (as do
the ditches which once formed the surrounding moats), the various sights dating from
Inwa’s regal era are quite spread out; the vast majority of visitors chalk them off as part
of a horse-drawn carriage tour (see p.305). A pleasant alternative is to make the rounds
yourself on a bicycle, though you’ll have to ride this down from Mandalay (see p.291).
Cycling here also gives you the chance to strike off along roads left alone by the
horse-and-cart drivers.
Maha Aungmye Bonzan and around
• Daily 6am–7pm • Covered by Mandalay Combination Ticket (see box, p.286)
The first sight you’ll reach approaching from the ferry is the imposing Maha
Aungmye Bonzan (also known as Me Nu Ok Kyaung – “Me Nu’s Brick Monastery”),

EATING INWA
Ave Maria 1
Drop-off
N Ayeyarwady River point
Maha Mandalay (17km)
Aungmye
Bonzan Horse-and-
carriages Ferry
Ticket office Htihlaingshin
Pagoda
Myitnge River
Nogataphu Nanmyint
Pagoda
Yadanasimi
Pagoda Mandalay (18km)
Shwezigon
Pagoda

Bagaya
Kyaung 0 500
metres

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