The five storeys
Clear across the plain.
kallerna — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vyacheslav Argenberg — CC BY 4.0 · Philip Nalangan — CC BY 4.0 · rheins — CC BY 3.0 · ReflectedSerendipity from United Kingdom — CC BY-SA 2.0
Thatbyinnyu Temple is the tallest temple in Bagan at 66 metres, standing just inside the south-eastern corner of the old Bagan city wall. It is part of the Bagan Archaeological Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its name means the Omniscient. King Sithu I founded it, and it was finished in 1150 or 1151, in a period of renewed devotion and scholarship, and historians see it as an expression of the confident spirit of that age. The earthquakes of 1975 and 2016 badly damaged it, and it is being restored with Chinese technical help until about 2028. The building has five storeys of brick topped by a pointed tower, and its pale colour sets it apart from Bagan's red temples, so it shines white in the sun. Its stepped tiers are clear from every side of the plain, and it appears in many photographs of Bagan. Ananda Temple is about 600 metres away in a straight line. You may find scaffolding or closed sections because of the restoration, so ask on arrival. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to this area, so read the current advice before you plan.
Clear across the plain.
Shining in the sun.
At the city corner.
Old Bagan, Bagan Archaeological Zone, Myanmar
Bagan Archaeological ZoneThe Bagan Archaeological Zone is an ancient city in Mandalay Region, a UNESCO Wo7 minutes walk
Ananda TempleAnanda Temple is a Buddhist temple in Bagan, built in 1105 in the reign of King 7 minutes walk
Dhammayangyi TempleDhammayangyi Temple is the largest and widest temple in Bagan, a massive stepped16 minutes walkClimbing the upper storeys is usually not allowed.
Parts may be closed for restoration, so ask on arrival.