Mahabodhi Temple, Bagan
မဟာဗောဓိဘုရား
A temple built in imitation of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in India, in the Vajrasana style, its tall tower covered with hundreds of small niches.
The Mahabodhi Temple in Bagan lies beside the main road in Old Bagan. Built in the early 13th century under King Nadaung Kaya (Htilominlo), in imitation of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in India, it is the most famous temple of its kind in Myanmar. It looks completely different from the surrounding brick-red Burmese pagodas. A square base supports a pyramidal tower, and the tower's walls are covered with hundreds of small niches, each holding a seated Buddha image. This reflects the exchange between Bagan and India's Buddhist centres at the time. The main hall enshrines Buddha images, and the courtyard contains smaller pagodas. The temple area is not large, and a visit takes about 20–30 minutes. It can be combined with Gawdawpalin and Thatbyinnyu. Visitors must go barefoot inside.
Opening hours
About 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Bagan Golden Palace
- Shwegugyi Temple
- Tharabha Gate
- Bupaya Pagoda & Irrawaddy River
- Nathlaung Kyaung Temple
- Pahtothamya Temple
- Gawdawpalin Temple
- Thatbyinnyu Temple