Traveler Magazine 2018 Spring Traveler | Page 78

76 PHOTO L E F T: YO U N G BUDDHIST MONKS INSIDE A TEMPLE S H W E S A N D AW Pagoda Built in 1057 by King Anawrahta, the Shwesandaw Pagoda is one of the crown jewels of Bagan’s impressive collection. The pagoda’s bright white exterior isn’t the only defining factor of this mystical temple, as the bell-shaped structure boasts five terraces that once bore the faces of terracotta statues. Viewed up close, you’ll notice the statues have long been worn down due to weather and earthquakes, yet you can still see glimpses of the detail that made them once so formidable. SPRING | 2018 C O N TACT YO U R T R AV E L A DV I S O R TO DAY