Bagan
바간
Bagan is an ancient city in central Myanmar, on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, about 290 km southwest of Mandalay. From the 9th to the 13th century it was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom to unite the regions that later became Myanmar. Its dry plain is dotted with thousands of Buddhist temples and stupas.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Location
- Mandalay Region, Myanmar
- Built
- 11th–13th c.
- Type
- Ancient site
Quick answers
Where is Bagan?
Bagan is in Mandalay Region, Myanmar, Myanmar (Burma).
An ancient royal capital whose plain is scattered with over 2,000 Buddhist temples and stupas.
More than 10,000 religious buildings were once built here, mostly between the 11th and 13th centuries. Today roughly 2,200 to 2,300 of them survive. Bagan became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, and many visitors watch sunrise over the temple tops from a quiet hilltop or a balloon.
The kingdom of Pagan
Kings such as Anawrahta supported Buddhism and sponsored early monuments like the Shwesandaw Pagoda. The city grew large, with a population once estimated at between 50,000 and 200,000 people. Monks and students came from far away to study. Mongol invasions in the late 1200s weakened the kingdom, and Bagan stopped being the capital in 1297, though it stayed a place of religious study.
Temples and earthquakes
Famous buildings include the Ananda Temple from 1105, the huge Dhammayangyi, the tall Thatbyinnyu at 66 m, and the 100 m Shwesandaw pagoda. Bagan sits in an earthquake zone. A strong quake in 1975 damaged many temples, and one in 2016 harmed nearly 400, with 33 of the worst-hit closed to visitors. Some 1990s repairs were criticized for using modern materials.
Fun facts
- More than 10,000 temples and stupas were built, and about 2,200 still stand.
- The tallest temple, Thatbyinnyu, rises about 66 m.
- Bagan was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on 6 July 2019, 24 years after it was first proposed.
- Over 400 earthquakes were recorded here between 1904 and 1975.
On the globe
The model shows a plain scattered with red-brick temples and bell-shaped stupas. Look for the many spires spread across the flat land.
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14