HOT Magazine HOT Magazine Issue - 9, 10 Volume 5 | Page 43

But if there is one thing that
distinguishes this city from the
rest, it’s the amount of different
historic sites one can visit. The
most prominent one of these is the
Kuthodaw Pagoda. Kind Mindon
commissioned this structure to
date contains the world’s largest
book in the form of concrete slabs.
Each tablet, which is embedded in
the walls of the various stupas that
comprise the structure, has its own
jewel and decoration. The British
rule hampered the beauty of this
structure, as they looted many of the
relics within, which would only later
be restored as a petition was made to
queen Victoria.
Mandalay Palace is a symbol of
the last Burmese monarchy, as the
grounds where they last inhabited
before the country became a republic.
Surrounded by a moat and at the
centre of the capital back when it
was built, the Mandalay palace is one
of the most prominent sites to visit
in the city. As with the Kuthodaw
Pagoda, a large array of the palace’s
relics were looted by the British, some
of which continue to be displayed at
the Victoria and Albert Museum in
the United Kingdom. Burned to the
ground during the Second World
War, it was later reconstructed
in 1989, when a project to restore
its previous beauty was started.
This was a problem because of the
lack of budget from the reforming
committee, which later had to seek
support from private funding in
order to sustain itself.
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