Amarapura (ŭ'məräpū'rä), town (1981 est. pop. 10,600), Mandalay division, central Myanmar, on the Ayeyarwady River. It is a silk-weaving center and has varied handicraft industries. Amarapura was founded in 1782 and was twice (1783-1823 and 1837-60) the capital of Myanmar. Its royal palace, great temples, and fortifications are now in ruins.
Amarapura
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| Amarapura အမရပူရ မြို့နယ် |
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| — Township of Mandalay — | |
| Amarapura Township | |
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  Amarapura
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| Coordinates: 21°54′N 96°03′E / 21.9°N 96.05°E | |
| Country | Myanmar |
|---|---|
| Division | Mandalay |
| City | Mandalay |
| Township | Amarapura |
| Settled | |
| Time zone | MST (UTC6:30) |
| Postal codes | |
| Area code(s) | 2 (mobile: 69, 90)[1] |
Amarapura (Burmese: အမရပူရ) is a former capital of Myanmar, and now a township of Mandalay. Amarapura is bounded by the Ayeyarwady river in the west, Chanmyathazi township in the north, and the city of Innwa (Ava) in the south. Amarapura, Pali for City of Immortality, was the capital of Myanmar for three discrete periods during the Konbaung dynasty in the 18th and 19th centuries before finally supplanted by Mandalay 11km north in 1857. Though historically referred to as Taungmyo (Southern City) in relation to Mandalay, Amarapura today is part of Mandalay, as a result of the urban sprawl.
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History
King Bodawpaya (1781-1819) of the Konbaung Dynasty founded Amarapura as his new capital in 1783, soon after he ascended the throne. In 1795, he received the first British embassy to Burma from the British East India Company led by Michael Symes [2]. Bodawpaya's grandson, King Bagyidaw (1819-1837), moved the Court back to Ava in 1823. Bagyidaw's successor King Tharrawaddy (1837-1846) again moved the royal capital back to Amarapura.[3]
From 1841-1857, King Mindon (1853-1878) decided to make Amarapura the capital again before relocating to his planned city of Mandalay in 1860. Today little remains of the old city as the palace buildings were dismantled and moved by elephant to the new location, and the city walls were pulled down for use as building materials for roads and railways.[3] Part of the moat is still recognisable near Bagaya Monastery.
The city is known today for its traditional silk and cotton weaving, and bronze casting. It is a popular tourist day-trip destination from Mandalay.
Sights of interest
- Pahtodawgyi – A stupa built by King Bodawpaya in 1816 outside the city walls [3]
- Bagaya Kyaung – a wooden monastery founded by King Mindon
- U Bein’s Bridge – a 1.2 km wooden footbridge (longest teak bridge in the world) built by the mayor U Bein salvaging the unwanted teak columns from the old palace during the move to Mandalay
- Kyautawgyi Paya – A stupa built by King Pagan in 1847 at the farther end of U Bein's bridge
- Palace Ruins – containing tombs of King Bodawpaya and King Bagyidaw, and part of the old moat
- Maha Gandhayon Kyaung - a large modern monastery complex with hundreds of monks and novices, well known throughout the country
- Chinese Temple - built in 1838 during King Tharrawaddy's reign
- Yadanabon University - A major liberal arts university for students from Mandalay suburbs
In 1800, Buddhist clergy from Sri Lanka obtained higher ordination in this city and founded the Amarapura Nikaya (Amarapura sect).[4]
Photos
 Monks Crossing U Bein Bridge at Sunset |
 U Bein Bridge across the Taungthaman Lake |
 Old City Gate |
 U Bein Bridge, detail |
References
- ^ "Myanmar Area Codes". http://en.18dao.net/Area_Code/Myanmar.
- ^ An Account of An Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava by Michael Symes 1795. http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=sea;cc=sea;view=toc;subview=short;idno=sea328. Retrieved on 2006-06-05.
- ^ a b c "The Konbaung Period - Amarapura by Dr. Richard M. Cooler, Northern Illinois University". http://www.seasite.niu.edu/burmese/cooler/Chapter_4/Part2/post_pagan_period__part_2.htm. Retrieved on 2006-06-09.
- ^ Bischoff, Roger (1995). Buddhism in Myanmar - A Short History. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. pp. 113. http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bud-myanmar.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-03-23.
External links
- Wanderings in Burma George W. Bird, 1897, Southeast Asia Visions
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Coordinates: 21°54′N 96°03′E / 21.9°N 96.05°E
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 | Amarapura Nikāya |
| Ava (village, Myanmar) |
| Mandalay |
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