Kanbawzathadi Palace

About this place

Kanbawzathadi Palace is a royal palace in Bago, rebuilt on the site of the palace of King Bayinnaung, one of Burma's greatest rulers. In his reign Bago was the capital of a vast empire covering most of present-day Burma and parts of Thailand and China. The original palace was built in 1556 with 76 apartments and halls, and it was looted and burned in 1599. The present palace was rebuilt between 1990 and 1992 to the original design, based on excavations and old drawings. Little of the original furniture survives, and copies of some pieces are on show, including a replica of the king's golden coach. The palace stands at the end of a long path between trimmed gardens, with gilded stepped roofs topped by a tall spire. Inside are halls with tall gilded pillars, walls of finely carved wood with birds and patterns, and a gilded throne in the great hall. The place gives a sense of the splendour of the court in that age. Shwemawdaw Pagoda is under 1 km away in a straight line. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to this area, and roads and flights may be cut, so read the current advice before you plan.