Amarapura (Burmese: အမရပူရ, pronounced: [ʔəməɹa̰pùɹa̰]) is a umwhile caipital o Myanmar, an nou a tounship o Mandalay. Amarapura is bundit bi the Ayeyarwady River in the wast, Chanmyathazi Tounship in the north, an the ceety o Innwa (Ava) in the sooth. Amarapura (आमरपुर), Pali for Ceety o Immortality, wis the caipital o Myanmar for three discrete periods durin the Konbaung Dynasty in the 18t an 19t centuries afore finally supplantit bi Mandalay 11 km north in 1857. Though historically referred tae as Taungmyo (Soothren Ceety) in relation tae Mandalay, Amarapura the day is pairt o Mandalay, as a result o the urban sprawl.

History

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Ryal palace o keeng Bodawpaya at Amarapura, durin the visit o the Breetish Embassy o Michael Symes, in 1795.

King Bodawpaya (1781–1819) o the Konbaung Dynasty foondit Amarapura as his new caipital in 1783, suin efter he ascendit the throne. In 1795, he received the first Breetish embassy tae Burma frae the British East India Company led bi Michael Symes [1]. Bodawpaya's grandson, King Bagyidaw (1819–1837), moved the Court back tae Ava in 1823. Bagyidaw's successor King Tharrawaddy (1837–1846) again moved the ryal caipital back tae Amarapura.[2]

Frae 1841-1857, King Mindon (1853–1878) decidit tae make Amarapura the caipital again afore relocatin tae his planned ceety o Mandalay in 1860. The day little remains o the auld ceety as the palace biggins wur dismantled an moved bi elephant tae the new location, an the ceety walls wur pulled doun for uise as biggin materials for roads an railways.[2] Pairt o the moat is still recognisable near Bagaya Monastery.

The ceety is kent the day for its traditional silk an cotton weavin, an bronze castin. It is a popular tourist day-trip destination frae Mandalay.

Sichts o interest

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  • Pahtodawgyi – A stupa built bi King Bodawpaya in 1816 ootside the ceety walls [2]
  • Bagaya Kyaung – a widden monastery foondit bi King Mindon
  • U Bein Brig – a 1.2 km widden fuitbrig (langest teak brig in the warld) built bi the mayor U Bein salvagin the unwantit teak columns frae the auld palace durin the move tae Mandalay
  • Kyautawgyi Paya – A stupa built bi King Pagan in 1847 at the farther end o U Bein's brig
  • Amarapura Palace ruins – containin tombs o King Bodawpaya an King Bagyidaw, an pairt o the old moat
  • Maha Gandhayon Kyaung - a lairge modren monastery complex wi hunders o monks an novices, well kent throughoot the kintra
  • Chinese Temple - built in 1838 during King Tharrawaddy's reign
  • Yadanabon University - A major leeberal airts university for students frae Mandalay suburbs

In 1800, Buddhist clergy frae Sri Lanka obtained heicher ordination in this ceety an foondit the Amarapura Nikaya (Amarapura sect).[3]

Photos

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References

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  1. An Account of An Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava by Michael Symes 1795. Retrieved 5 Juin 2006.
  2. a b c "The Konbaung Period - Amarapura by Dr. Richard M. Cooler, Northern Illinois University". Archived frae the original on 14 Mairch 2007. Retrieved 9 Juin 2006.
  3. Bischoff, Roger (1995). Buddhism in Myanmar - A Short History (PDF). Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. p. 113. Retrieved 23 Mairch 2009.

Freemit airtins

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  Media relatit tae Amarapura at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 21°54′N 96°03′E / 21.900°N 96.050°E / 21.900; 96.050 Template:Amarapura Tounship Template:Tounships o Mandalay Template:Mandalay Region Template:Administrative diveesions o Burma (Myanmar)