Bago (History of Hanthawaddy)

Hanthawaddy called Bago is the capital of Bago Division and located on the eastern bank of Bago river in lower Myanmar. Bago is known as Hanthawaddy, Ussa and Bago throughout its’ history and reputated as kingdom for three times. In 1550 A.D, Bayinnaung succeeded the throne and had his kingdom Hanthawaddy risen up its’ highest glory under the Second Myanmar empire. His conquers were so immense and his Empire attained to proportions that had never been surpassed in the history of Myanmar.

Hanthawaddy Kingdom and Kanbawzathaddy Palace

King Bayinnaung built a new capital and palace in 1566 A.D. when the palace in Bago was really old and congested at that time. When King Bayinnaung (known Brenginoco to Europeans) founded the new city, at the center of the fortified city was the site of Kanbawzathaddy palace. The city was square in shape ground plan and the palace-buildings inside the inner-fort were in T shape.

Archaeological Museum

In the north-west corner of the palace site, there is an Archaeological Museum to exhibit not only antiquities collected from the excavations of the palace-site varied to 6 moulds but also other ancient relics pertaining to Mon and Myanmar culture.

Pyaythonezu

At the Payathonezu village, there is a cluster of ruined monuments, built by King Dhammacedi (1472-92 A.D). Mahabodhi temple and seven holy-spots at Hanthawaddy were erected exactly the same as to India in theirs’ architectural formation, ground-plan, position and distance to one another.

Kyaik-Pun-Pagoda

Kyaik-Pun, the four Buddha images are placed back to back against a massive central column in cubical-shape built by King Dhammaceti in 1476 A.D to commemorate the Buddhas appeared this present world. They repose in magnificent structure under the blue sky.

Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda

It is one of the most famous pagodas in Myanmar and located on a 50 feet high mould in Hinthagone ward of Bago. As that pagoda was located within the earth-quake prone-zone, it was affected as many 34 times and reconstructed after every collapse by successive Mon and Myanmar kings. Architecturally, Shwe-Maw-Daw is not as massive as Shwe-Zi-Gon in Bagan and as elegant as Shwe-Da-Gon in Yangon but more tapering into the sky and leading the highest stupa in Myanmar.

Hansagone Pagoda

Hansagone (Hinthagone) is one of the famous pagodas in Bago and situated on a hillock. The statue of the female hansa-bird is perching on the back of the male one. It is seriously believed to have been stopped by the Buddha in 2500 years ago.

Shwethalyaung

The reclining Buddha called Shwetharlyaung of Bago is the largest one of this types and said to be a masterpiece of perfection in symmetry, wonderfully executed to be the most proportionate structure.