The Kingdom of Pagan

The Kingdom of Pagan (Burmese: ပုဂံခေတ်, pronounced [bəɡàɰ̃ kʰɪʔ]; also known as the Pagan Dynasty and the Pagan Empire; previously known as the Bagan Dynasty or Bagan Empire) was the first Burmese kingdom to combine the provinces that would eventually become modern-day Myanmar (Burma). Pagan's 250-year control over the Irrawaddy valley and its outskirts established the groundwork for the rise of the Burmese language and culture, the development of Burman ethnicity in Upper Burma, and the expansion of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and mainland Southeast Asia.

The kingdom arose from a minor 9th-century colony at Pagan (modern-day Bagan) by the Mranma (Burmans), who had recently reached the Irrawaddy valley from the Kingdom of Nanzhao. Over the next two centuries, the little principality progressively expanded to incorporate its surrounding areas until the 1050s and 1060s, when King Anawrahta established the Pagan Empire, uniting the Irrawaddy valley and its perimeter under one government for the first time. Anawrahta's successors had expanded their dominance to the south into the upper Malay peninsula, to the east at least to the Salween river, to the north to below the modern China border, and to the west, into northern Arakan and the Chin Hills by the late 12th century. Pagan was one of two major empires in mainland Southeast Asia in the 12th and 13th centuries, alongside the Khmer Empire.

A huge and strong Kingdom existed in the plains of central Myanmar in the 12th and 13th centuries. Kings constructed a series of historic temples and pagodas, which formed a focal point for Theravada Buddhism. This was also the cradle of Burmese culture and linguistic domination in modern-day Myanmar. Visiting temples in the contemporary era of Bagan is one of the most popular things to do when visiting the nation. In a relatively small region, you may visit over 2000 holy sites and enjoy the finest sunset of your life.