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.
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