Mandalay Palace
မန္တလေးနန်းတော်
The palace city of Burma’s last dynasty, surrounded by a square wall about 2 kilometers per side and a moat. Reconstructed red-and-gold halls and watchtowers can be climbed.
Mandalay Palace was built in 1857 by King Mindon and was the last royal palace of the Konbaung dynasty. After British forces occupied it in 1885, it was used as a fort. During the Second World War, most of the palace was destroyed, and the surviving structures are mainly reconstructions from the 1990s that follow the originals. The square palace city is about 2 kilometers on each side and is surrounded by a moat and 48 watchtowers. Most of the interior is still a military zone, so visitors can only enter through the East Gate to see the central palace complex, the Lion Throne Hall, the clock tower and the spiral watchtower. Foreign visitors must buy a ticket, which is included in the Mandalay Archaeological Zone combined ticket, and the East Gate requires a passport. Some buildings were damaged in the March 2025 earthquake, so check current opening arrangements locally.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00 (check local announcements)
Nearby sights
- Mandalay Marionettes Theatre
- Kyauktawgyi Pagoda (Mandalay)
- Sandamuni Pagoda
- Atumashi Monastery
- Shwenandaw Monastery
- Kuthodaw Pagoda
- Zegyo Market
- Mandalay Hill