The Mya Nan San Kyaw the Golden Palace
King Mindon, who founded the Royal City of Yatanabon, built the Mya Nan San Kyaw, the Royal Palace, on 6th waning day of Kason, M.E 1221 ( A.D 1857 ). It is surrounded by the rectangular shaped walls, each of which stretches 8.25 kilometers long, and again by the moat which is 68.58m wide and 3.35m deep. Formerly, there existed 114 royal apartments, which, being built on 3.35m high platform, covered 152.4m wide. On 17 March, 1945, during the air raid of the British forces against the Japanese, the Royal Palace was ruined into ashes. With the objective of re-establishing the milestone in Myanmar tradition and ancient times, when Myanmar had their own monarchs, their own royal palace and their own sovereignty, the Royal Palace has been renovated and restored faithfully into its original structure. The 89 main halls were re-built with reference to the original photographs, pictures, palm-leaf manuscripts with reference to the original photographs, pictures, palm leaf manuscripts about the royal apartments and the miniature model of the royal palace. On 18-9-96, the complete construction of the Mya Nan San Kyaw the Golden Palace was successfully celebrated. Mandalay City Development Committee has been undertaking the task of removing the pond scum of the moat as the cleaning work of the royal moat, which bears a grace and a pride to the city : 4 large-scale pond scum-removing machines, 3 small pond scum-removing machines and 62 appointed workers remove about seven tons of pound scum per day. Activities such as mowing and making the crash barriers even, replacing the dead plants with new ones, and giving care to the growth of the plants have been routine tasks.
The Mandalay Hill
The Mandalay Hill is situated to the north-east corner of the Mandalay Royal Palace. It lies from north to south, its altitude being 236.5m above sea level and its height going up to 167.64m.
The Mandalay Hill is surrounded by the nine satellite hills called the Shwe Taung ( The Golden Hill), the Ngwe Taung ( the Silver Hill ), the Paddamya Taung ( the Ruby Hill ), the Hse-dan Taung ( the Hill of Arsenious trisulphide), the Myin Thila Taung ( the Hill of Arsenic trisulphide ), the Dokhta Hill ( the Hill of Blue vitriol), the Ye-hle Taung ( the Hill of Whirling Water), the Kye-ni Hill ( the Copper Hill ) and the Baluma Taung ( the Hill of the Ogress ). The third is called the Paddamya Taung since a ruby was some time ago found in that hill lying to the north west; the seventh one, the Ye-hle Taung since, in the rainy season, the rain water whirled first and flowed down like a funnel in the hill to east; and the ninth hill, the Baluma Taung, since it was believed that the Ogress Sanda Mukhi made her abode in the small hill near to the western passageway. One famous Buddha Image on the Mandalay Hill is the Image of Standing Lord Buddha at the top of the hill where Lord Buddha made a prophesy. It was built by king Mindon. Eight years after the king’s death, the image was damaged by fire, and a new image was restored. The image of standing Lord Buddha is 8.22m high. There are two one-way bus roads up to the top of the Mandalay Hill, one to the west of the Great Lions statues winding up the way and the other at the southern passageway going down.
There are four stairways going up the Mandalay Hill, two on the north and on the west, and two on the south.
The southern covered passage with the Two Great Lions on Haungches is the most frequently used by pilgrims. There exists the Museum of the Hermit U Khanti at the head of the passageway, which was built in honour of the benevolent hermit who first pioneered to develop the plans of building religious edifices and memorials on the Mandalay Hill. Near the archway ascending the southern passage is located the Shrine of the Guardian Spirit, known as Mandalay Bo Gyi, where the natives of Mandalay often come and make offerings. The iron statues of the two snakes are well known to the visitors of Mandalay. An elevator and an escalator are also in service for going up the hill.
Like a Tower given by nature, the Mandalay Hill offers a panoramic view over the Golden City of Mandalay. One can take a sweeping view towards the Yan Kin Hill, not far from it, the Sagaing hill and the Min Wun Ranges and the glimmering Ayeyawaddy and the Shan Yoma ranges at a far distance.
It will be a memorable experience for the visitor of Mandalay to enjoy the sunset beauty over the blinking, winding Ayeyawaddy and the blue Sagaing Hill and the Min Wun ranges.
