Shite-thaung Temple

The name means 'Temple of 80,000 Buddha Images', and is also known as the 'Temple of Victory'.

Shite Thaung is a famous temple in Mrauk U. The name means 'Temple of 80,000 Buddha Images', and is also known as the 'Temple of Victory'. It is located on the western face of Pokhaung Hill, north of the Royal Palace, and adjacent to the Andaw-thein Temple. The temple was built in 1535–1536 by King Min Bin to commemorate his conquest of Bengal. It is typical of the many Buddhist temples found in Burma: a central bell-shaped stupa, surrounded by four smaller stupas at the corners, and a multitude of even-smaller stupas surrounding them. Like many important Southeast Asian monuments connected with royal cults, it may have also had cosmic dimension, the shrine being seen as a microcosm of the Three Worlds which comprised the Buddhist universe.

A hundred years ago the temple was totally neglected. It had been bombarded by the invading Bodaypaya forces during their conquest of Rakhine (Arakan) in 1784, and again by the British in 1825 in the first Anglo-Myanmar war. Since then, however, it has come into worship again. The reliefs have ofter been painted, somewhat detracting from their antique appearance but still very close to the original intent of the architect.

Shite-thaung Temple Map

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