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.