Bagan is an ancient city in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), southwest of Mandalay. Standing on the eastern banks of the Ayeyarwady River, it’s known for the Bagan Archaeological Area, where more than 2,000 Buddhist monuments tower over green plains. Holy sites around Old Bagan include ornate Ananda Temple, built in 1091 and topped with a golden stupa. Nearby is the vast 12th-century Dhammayangyi Temple.
Also in Old Bagan lie intricately carved Thatbyinnyu, one of the city’s tallest temples, and the huge Hindi temple Nathlaung Kyaung. The riverside Bagan Archaeological Museum exhibits sacred artifacts. Shwezigon Pagoda, also set along the meandering Ayeyarwady River, is a gilded temple dating back to the 11th century. Between the museum and the pagoda, Htilominlo Temple rises dramatically above the trees, while red-stone Sulamani Temple contains painted Buddha statues. New Bagan and Nyaung-U are modern settlements close to the monuments. Southeast of Bagan, Mt. Popa National Park is home to an extinct volcano.