Ananda Temple Bagan

The Ananda Temple is a monumental Buddhist Shrine.

The sacred temple structure was built under King Kyanzittha in (1084-1112) one of the most popular figures in Myanmar history and the main person behind Buddhism ideology together with Shin Arahan a monk from Thaton.

The main entrance to the temple is facing the city and the hills across the Irrawaddy river where according to legends Gautama Buddha have been long time ago. 

A spectacular Buddhist temple.

A relative freedom in the orientation architecture of the early times was given due to the flexibility of placing the entrance of the temple or shrine. While it was usual to place the main entrance to the East but a different direction was chosen sometimes taking into account the general principles of the alignment of facades to the cardinal points.

The Ananda temple architecture layout is more or less a Greek Cross with pilasters and horizontal profiles outside. The effect of these decorative arrangement and the windows give a two level impression, indeed the temple has one story. The two rows of windows let enough light in to illuminate the corridors and the Buddha sculptures in the niches 

The monumental shrine with bright cream-colored walls is a monumental visual appearance and a architectural ornamentation in stucco-carving. As with other shrines the walls have a smooth surface decorated are only the base and the pilasters. Cornices gables and window surrounds the elements and show the tectonic structure of the building.

The gradually pyramidal shape structure evokes the association of a mountain peak, a sacred place where the gods live. Thus, the structure of this building shows the Buddhist cosmology and characteristic model of the world and the universe. 

Beside of countless internal Buddha statues.

In the interior are four big ones measuring more than 10 m height the structure embodies also another aspect of the people's ideas of an ideal divine world. The temple structure is also a palace and a residence of the Gods as it is built for eternity wood is not used only bricks. 

The problem with all this buildings are that whether walls nor ceiling are isolated against water which let everything deteriorated rather quick this is visible at the black parts of the wall which are continuously repainted every couple of years.

Images of the palace of the gods.

But more decorative elements which make some sense with the devotees, the manifold motifs and sculptures plus fantastic animals such as Chinthe and Nagas plus Dragons and other. The images of these fantastic animals and ghosts should banish the evil and strengthen faith.

Sun elements and symbols of fertility were intertwined into the ornamentation with leaves and blossoms. The floral trim on the bow give the idea of a forest landscape. And the bow itself seems like a way into a cave located in the forest while flaming ornament symbolizes light coming from the cave temple and the Buddha's meditation.

Some temple artwork is in form of mural art paintings can still be seen, other are depicting the flames ornament end into glazed tiles. In festive nights the produced a particularly impressive effect when the temple were lit by thousands of lanterns. Here is a good example for the synthesis of Buddhist arts and a complicated ensemble of architecture, design and other Bagan Art components.

The Ananda  Temple architecture.

The construction of the temple structure symbolizes the characteristic Buddhist cosmology,  the model of the world and the universe plus the interface between people and the gods. The temples are virtually built for eternity, characteristic are also the colors of the Ananda Temple.

It’s cool in the semi-darkness of the Ananda Temple interior. The image of the quiet hermitage, away from the bustle of the world, agreed wholeheartedly with the basic tenets of Buddhism calling to get rid of all earthly conditions and desires. Entering building is also a great relief after the heat outside, it’s cool in the semi-darkness of the interior.

Here is an old fashioned temple, the walls were decorated in accordance with the local tradition, this are almost always mural or wall paintings which are sometimes not in good conditions, cleaning and restoration is a continuing task. Many murals are not visible very good while the sculptural decoration is visible without problems. This monument could be seen as veritable sculptures and relief museum of medieval Burma, and every plastic and structure are assigned to carry a particular visual content.

At each of the four entrance portico are reliefs. Each representing the eight major events in the life of Gautama Buddha and repeated accordingly. These subjects are widespread, with an accurate and consistent iconography.

These eight scenes are considered the most important in his life and their repetition was hardly accidental, the people have attached particular importance to these pictures.

The corridor around the central temple pillar.

Here are two rows of 80 niche embedded in the solid wall sandstone reliefs show the life of Gautama Buddha before his enlightenment. All figures are covered with gold leaf, with red on the background. These reliefs sequentially depict events from the life of Prince Siddhartha, who became a hermit at the age of 29 and with 35 years a Buddha.


The cycle begins with the presentation of the King Suddhodhana, father of him who, as the - albeit controversial - inscription under the relief tells sit together with Maya, the mother of the Bodhisattva, and her sister in the palace at Kapilavastu, there are different interpretations of this scene. One thing is certain, the artists of that time dealt very freely with the sacred Buddhist texts.

Still in good condition is the Dhammayangyi Temple built in 1165th. 

Having a strong geometric character and the somewhat very sober facade he stands behind the expressive forms of the Ananda Temple. But the Dhammayangyi shrine is one of the unfinished temples at Bagan which is nothing special actually most of the Buddhist Temples around are not finished or just deteriorated over time.

The structural center is the massive square center and at every side of the square is a niche with a 12 m high Buddha Statue of the last four one: Kakusanda in the north and Konaganama at east plus Kassapa at south and Gautama at the west.

The temple layout is more or less a Greek Cross with pilasters and horizontal profiles outside. The effect of these decorative arrangements and the windows give a two level impression, indeed the temple has one story. The two rows of windows let enough light in to illuminate the corridors and the Buddha sculptures in the niches.
On the west side of the building. The army of the Mara demons is shown threatening the Buddha, and on the east side the Bodhisattva praised by the gods after his victory over Mara. 

The inscriptions in the compositions containing the names of the persons and the names of the depicted object.

These sacred shrines were called "Gu", which means cave temple, this name corresponds to the character of the interior which is basically a hall. The peace and tranquility prevailing there should help to achieve the aspired state of introspection and recollection. the way from the bustle of the world agreed wholeheartedly with the basic tenets of Buddhism calling to get rid of all earthly conditions and desires. 

The Buddhist pagoda and temple composition schemes are manifold some of them are very laconic others more complex over centuries the temple captivates the attention of researchers. 

The first one to measure and describe it in 1855 was the British officer and scholar Henry Yule. The measurements of the Ananda Temple made by him very carefully have not lost their value and a Buddhist life.
​