Pagan and Bagan: the same place
Pagan is the older English spelling of the name now more commonly written Bagan, and both refer to the same site on the east bank of the Irrawaddy in central Myanmar. The name is also used for the kingdom and the era that built most of the monuments. Today the Bagan temple plain is both an archaeological zone and a place where local people make offerings, so it is best understood as a historic capital that never entirely stopped being used for worship.
The kingdom, with dates held loosely
The chronicles of Burma place the foundation of Pagan’s city in the ninth century, but their early dates are legendary, and historians rely on inscriptions, which become much more numerous from the eleventh century. The kingdom is generally associated with King Anawrahta, traditionally said to have come to power in the 1040s and to have drawn much of the surrounding country under a single rule. Traditionally he is also credited with promoting Theravada Buddhism, partly through contact with the Mon people of the south, though how much of this reflects later retelling is debated.
The kingdom was at its height roughly between the eleventh and the thirteenth centuries. Its end is usually linked to the Mongol campaigns of the late thirteenth century and to wider political fragmentation, and the city then declined as a capital, though it never became uninhabited. Any precise figure for the period should be treated with caution. Where this article gives a date it should be read as approximate.
Why so many temples?
The scale of Bagan is one of the most notable features of Burmese history. Kings, queens, officials and wealthy families built stupas and temples, and making merit through such gifts was central to the culture of the time. Donations also included land and people to maintain the buildings, and inscriptions record some of these gifts. The count of surviving monuments is often given as more than two thousand, with higher numbers for those that once existed, but the number changes depending on what is counted and how.
The buildings are mostly brick, with plaster, painting and sometimes glazed or sculpted decoration. Two main forms appear, which are easier to follow with a grasp of the parts of a stupa:
- Stupas (also called pagodas or zedis), which are solid structures built over relics or as acts of merit.
- Temples, which are hollow buildings with interior shrine rooms, images and sometimes murals, entered by visitors and worshippers.
Many temples have a tall central block with a spire above, built on terraces and entered through a vestibule. Interiors often have corridors that allow circumambulation practice around a central core with images on each side.
Monuments often mentioned
A handful of buildings are especially well known. The Ananda Temple, traditionally dated to the early twelfth century, is a large, whitewashed temple with four standing Buddha images. The Shwezigon Pagoda at Nyaung-U, associated with King Anawrahta, is a gilded stupa that still draws many worshippers, and is covered in a separate article. The Shwesandaw has terraces and a bell-shaped stupa, and the Thatbyinnyu is among the tallest temples. The Dhammayangyi is a massive temple whose brickwork is notably precise. Others include the Sulamani and the Htilominlo.
Beyond these, the plain has hundreds of smaller shrines. Many contain Buddha images and painted scenes, including episodes from the Jataka tales and from the Buddha’s life, though whether a particular temple can be entered varies. Scholars sometimes see links to Indian and Mon models in the layout and art, and Sri Lankan Buddhism and the Buddhist culture of eastern India are thought to have contributed to what developed here.
Earthquakes and restoration
Bagan lies in an earthquake-prone region. A strong earthquake in 1975 damaged many monuments, and another in August 2016 damaged a large number of them, with hundreds reported affected. Restoration has been ongoing for decades and has been controversial. Earlier rebuilding in the late twentieth century drew criticism from conservation specialists for using modern materials and for departing from original forms, and this is part of the discussion that preceded the site’s international recognition. Later conservation work has aimed to follow more careful standards, with the support of international bodies, but progress has been uneven.
UNESCO listing
The site was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2019, as the Bagan Archaeological Area and Monuments. The listing recognises it as a cultural property and has implications for management, restoration standards and visitor rules. These rules, including whether visitors may climb monuments, which were widely restricted after the 2016 earthquake, are updated by the authorities, so check current official information. Entry arrangements and fees are likewise set locally and change.
Visiting respectfully
Bagan is not a museum. Many shrines are in use, and some of the stupas are tended daily. If you visit at some point, a few general principles apply:
- Follow the usual temple dress code, with shoulders and knees covered, and remove shoes and socks before entering temple precincts. Sand and brick can be extremely hot, and sunset and sunrise hours are cooler.
- Do not climb on monuments unless officially permitted, and do not touch murals, which are fragile.
- Be quiet, and ask before photographing worshippers or monks. Flash is usually discouraged near paintings.
- Do not point your feet toward Buddha images, and do not touch monks, especially if you are a woman.
- Dress, entry and photography rules vary between sites, and local guidance takes priority.
The dry central plain can be very hot in the months before the monsoon, and travellers should consider the climate, shade and hydration. Conditions in Myanmar generally can be unsettled, so check current government travel advice before deciding whether to travel, and be prepared for sites, routes and services to be unavailable.
What the site shows
Pagan is a record of how royal patronage, merit-making and monastic life shaped a landscape, and it remains a significant reference point in the history of Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Its mix of influences, its scale and its survival through centuries of neglect, earthquakes and restoration all add to a story that is still being studied.