Shwenandaw Kyaung Monastery was founded in the mid-19th century. It was built by King Mindon, and is the only survivor as part of a royal palace made of wood.
After the death of King Mindon, the building was demolished by his son and removed from the royal city, to be rebuilt as a monastery 5 years later and dedicated to his deceased father Mindon.
The rest of the old Royal Palace in the Old Royal City (now Fort Mandalay) burned down during the Second World War as a result of Allied bombing.
Shwenandaw is a great example of 19th-century Burmese architecture where teak was used for construction. The building has amazing unique sculptures.
The temple is a large, multi-storey building with four separate levels of roof topped with sculptures resembling fire flames.
Around the building on the main entrance level is an imposing teak platform with elaborate carvings and marble finials on the window sills.
The entire building has rich ornamental sculptures, wonderful snake dragons, live dancing figures, mythical animals, flowers and creepers on teak panels.
Unfortunately, many of the exterior panels are crumbling over time and some have been replaced with later and inferior reproductions that lack the depth of the original.
The structure was once gilded and covered with a glass mosaic. Inside the main vasala, there are huge teak pillars, an impressive ceiling, and a replica of the Lion Throne.
10.867 SRY