In today’s travelogue programme, we are going to visit Mingun from Sagaing. It is about 11 miles from Sagaing and you can reach there by road. It takes about 30 minutes. And you can also travel to Mingun from Mandalay but you can get there by road. It is about 7 miles up river from Mandalay and you can accessible only by boat via Gawwein jetty. The journey takes 45 minutes.

When you come along the motor way to Mingun from Sagaing, you will first arrive at Kandawgyi, one of the prominent big four in Mingun. Kandawgyi was formed while digging earth to make bricks for building of Mingun Pahtodawgyi. It was built by King Bodaw Badon in 1791. You will arrive at Mingun Pahtodawgyi from Kandawgyi.
Now, we are here at the Mingun Pahtodawgyi from the top of the Pagoda you can view the scene of Mingun and Ayeyawady river. You can use this stair to climb to the top and there are all together 174 steps.

It is one of the famous buildings in the world. The building of Mingun Pahtodawgyi started in 1791. Hand it been completed it would have a height of some 500 feet. It was stopped at 162 feet height. Its girth is about 450 square feet. This is Pondawya Pagoda which is prototype of Mingun Pahtodawgyi. You can study Myanmar arts and crafts of Kongbaung period in Mingun Pahtodawgyi.

King Bodawpaya built Mingun Pahtodawgyi aiming to worship from Shwebo in the distance where he has ascended the throne. The pagoda was left unfinished.

Two enormous prominent statues of lions in Mingun, one of the tourist atttractions is at the east stairway of Pahtodawgyi which faces the Ayeyawaddy river. From here, you can also enjoy natural scenic beauty of Ayeyawady river and green and pleasant Minwun hill.
Rev Guy (California)
Oh, very very awesome. It’s a very spiritual, very interesting historically, archaeologically. I think it is just the wonderful place. I don’t think my trip would be completed. I didn’t come here.
Susan (California)
It is a centre of culture of Myanmar. It is just beautiful, very excited, a lot of history. One of the great star sites of the world.
Mingun Home for the Aged is one of the tourist attractions. It was founded by Daw Oo Zun herself in senior year in 1915 with a view to looking after old destitutes and in need of care and confort. It is the first home for the ages establish in Myanmar.
The next thing you should study is Mingun bell, one of the largest bells in the world. It weight is about 90 tons and the original donor is King Bodawphaya.
Another place you can study is the monastery where Sayadaw U Viseitta Sara Vivamsa winner of Tipitaka Title resided. The late sayadaw was listed in the Guinness Book of records as one of the most intelligent men in the world.
When you arrive at Mandalay and Sagaing, your journey is not complete without visiting Mingun which is rich in historical memorials and Buddhist edifices. Arts and Crafts on Mingun are genuine Myanmar artistic work. That is why, Mingun has been a well-know place, since Kongbaung era like Mandalay. So, you should visit and study there.