In the centre of Mingun stands the beginning of what should have been the largest stupa in the world (150 metres high). King Bodawpaya started the construction in 1790 with the help of thousands of prisoners of war and slaves. In 1819 the king died and the construction of the stupa stopped at 1/3 of its total height. None of his 120 children wanted to continue the construction.
On March 23, 1839, the fate of the stupa was sealed, a strong earthquake ensured that the already built part began to crack and crumble. The Burmese sometimes joke that this is the largest mountain of bricks in the world. Yet it is definitely worth a visit, from the top you have a nice view of the surroundings. Around the stupa it is pretty busy with mainly locals and many (young) monks because there are a number of monasteries next to the stupa.
I am Antwan Janssen, travel and nature photographer from Uden. During my many travels on this globe I try to capture all the beauty on photo. As you can see on this site my preference goes to landscapes, wildlife but also to the local population, mostly abroad.. Read more…