This compact, highly ornate stone building is one of the seven Mrauk U libraries remaining from the original 48. Today protected by a blue-and-maroon shelter, it was built in 1591 by King Minphalaung as a repository for the Tripitaka (Three Baskets: the Buddhist canon), which was received from Sri Lanka in the 1640s. It’s wee – only 13ft long and 9ft high.
Nearby Rakhine State attractions
1. Laungbanpyauk Paya
0.15 MILES
This octagonal, slightly leaning zedi (stupa) was built by King Minkhaungraza in 1525. An unusual feature is its outer wall, adorned with Islamic-inspired…
2. Mahabodhi Shwegu
0.23 MILES
The highlight of this squat, little-visited temple is its passageway with bas-relief illustrations of the tribumi (Buddhist visions of heaven, earth and…
3. Ratana San Rwe Paya & Ratana Hman Kin Paya
0.3 MILES
Directly south of Mahabodhi Shwegu are these two adjacent hilltop stupas.
4. Ratanabon Paya
0.38 MILES
This massive stupa (sometimes called Yadanapon) is ringed by 24 smaller stupas. It was apparently built by Queen Shin Htway in 1612. During WWII a bomb…
5. Laymyetnha Paya
0.41 MILES
This poorly restored temple looks a bit like a squashed-up version of the nearby Dukkanthein, but was actually built 140 years earlier, making it the…
6. Andaw Thein
0.41 MILES
Andaw Thein takes the form of an eight-sided monument with a linear layout: rectangular prayer hall to the east, multispired sanctuary to the west…
7. Shittaung Paya
0.43 MILES
Shittaung means ‘Shrine of the 80,000 Images’, a reference to the number of holy images inside. King Minbin, the most powerful of Rakhine’s kings, built…