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Situated about 11 kilometers south of
Mandalay, Amarapura is an ancient capital of the Konbaung
Dynasty. The modern town of Amarapura is often referred to as
Taungmyo, "the Southern City", to distinguish it from Mandalay,
the northern city. The old name "Amarapura" means "the City of
Immortality". Amarapura was founded by King Bodawpaya in 1783.
In 1823, King Bagyidaw moved the capital city to Inwa and in
1841 Amarapura again became the capital. In 1857, King Mindon
decided to make Mandalay the captial and the change over was
completed in 1860. There are several places of interest in this
accient city which was also the site for the first British
Embassy in Myanmar in 1795 and the largest teak wood 1.2 km long
U Pein Wooden Bridge built over the seasonal Taung Thamanlake in
1786. Its royal palace, great temples, and fortifications are
now in ruins but the pagodas, temples and monasteries remain.
The Mahagandayane Monastery in Amarapura is the religious
center, where over 700 monks attend to their religious duties. |