Yangon
U Thant, the former UN Secretary General and one of the most respected 20th-century Burmese statesmen, is buried here. A chapter in The River of Lost Footsteps by his grandson Thant Myint-U recounts the horrific details of U Thant's burial in 1969 when students fought with the military and riots led to hundreds of dead, many more imprisoned and martial law being imposed.
To learn more about U Thant visit his former home, U Thant House.
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One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…
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Even though the museum's collection is poorly labelled and often badly lit, the treasures that lie within this cavernous building deserve a viewing. The…
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Housed in a large metal-roofed shed, this beautiful 215ft-long reclining buddha is larger than a similar and better-known image in Bago. The statue's…
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After many years of being off limits, this spectacular red-brick complex, which takes up a 16-acre block and was once the British seat of government for…
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One of Yangon's, if not Myanmar's, most gorgeous buddha images is this 46ft-tall one at the Ngahtatgyi Paya, sitting in calm gold-and-white repose and…
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Situated next to the Nga Moe Yeik creek, this Disneyland-ish pagoda is a hoot. Larger-than-life 3D stucco depictions of the Buddha's life and practice…
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Also known as Royal Lake, this artificial lake built by the British as a reservoir is most attractive at sunset, when the glittering Shwedagon Paya is…
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Not many cities have a primary traffic circle occupied by a 2200-year-old golden temple. This 46m zedi (stupa), said to be older than Shwedagon Paya, is…
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This traditional-style multitiered construction contains the tomb of Burma’s last queen, Suphayalat (1859–1925). Having been exiled to India with her…
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Here lies Aung San’s widow and Aung San Suu Kyi's mother Daw Khin Kyi. Her funeral in 1989 was attended by more than 100,000 and was a galvanising moment…
3. Thakin Kodaw Hmaing Mausoleum
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The tomb of one of Myanmar's most celebrated poets and public intellectuals is the furthest away from Shwedagon Paya in the quartet of mausoleums here…
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This well-proportioned zedi (stupa), built on General Ne Win's orders in the early 1980s to commemorate the unification of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar,…
5. Dargah of Bahadur Shah Zafar
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Covered in silks and strewn with sweet-smelling petals, the mausoleum of India's last Mughal emperor is a place of pilgrimage for Indians, Muslims and…
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One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…
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Accessed from the west side of Shwedagon's main terrace is this small museum which is chock-full of buddha statues and religious ornaments. Look for the…
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The prime reason for visiting Yangon's 1901-vintage zoo, covering 58 acres, is to take a rest in its leafy grounds and view handsome architectural…