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Pagan is undoubtedly the most important architectural complex in Myanmar. The site covers 42 square kilometers and contains a staggering 2,217 religious structures. Originally this number was higher, but an earthquake in 1975 severely damaged more than half the important structures, some of them irreparably. One pagoda crumbled completely into the Irrawaddy river, the remains of which were carried off by the waters. Some of the pagodas and temples have been restored, but many more remain on the brink of collapse.

Pagan was the capital of the region from the 11th to the end of the 13th century, until the Mongols invaded in 1287.

© Galen R. Frysinger

The most outstanding ruler in Pagan's history was Anawrahta (1044-1077). He unified Pagan both politically and culturally, and introduced its people to Theravada Buddhism, making Pagan one of the most important centers of Buddhist learning in the country. Anawrahta was also responsible for the construction of many of the magnificent temples and pagodas which stand in Pagan today.

The most common material used in construction was brick, and decorative motifs were usually carved in brick, stucco or terra cotta. The two main structures in Pagan are the pagoda, or stupa, and the temple.

© Mikey and Lou Samson

The Buddhist stupa is a tall, bell-shaped structure whose original purpose was to house one of Buddha's relics or to commemorate an important event in Buddha's life. It was a symbol of worship, whereas the temple was a place of worship and contemplation. The most famous and most venerated of the pagodas is the Shwezigon, built by Anawrahta to enshrine the relics of Buddha and left unfinished at his death. It was eventually completed by Kyansittha in 1090. The Shwezigon is an enormous terraced pyramid (although not the largest at the site), square below and circular above, crowned by a bell-shaped stupa. It is adorned with staircases, gates and elegant spires, but is most famous for its huge, jewel-encrusted, golden finial.

It was here in Pagan that art and architecture merged and reached a pinnacle of achievement. The structures at Pagan exhibit a balancing of light and darkness, intimate and monumental space, and horizontal and vertical lines.

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