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Mandalay Palace. Photo by Go-Myanmar.

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Mandalay Palace

Mandalay Palace is the last royal palace constructed by the last Burmese Monarchy in Mandalay in Myanmar as from 1857 to 1859. The palace was constructed as part of the founding of the new royal capital city in Mandalay by King Mindon.

Audience halls, throne halls, a monastery, a watch tower, a court building a library and a tooth relic are some of the dozens of buildings on the large complex. Buddhist scriptures are kept in the library in the complex.

Apart from being famous for tourists, the Mandalay Palace was one of the renowned structures in the region. The last time a Burmese king stayed in the Royal Mandalay Palace is over a century ago.

The top 10 fascinating facts about the Mandalay Palace include the following.

1. The Last Burmese Royal to Live in The Mandalay Palace Was A Century Ago

King Mindon. Photo by U Sein Maung Oo (Royal Archaeologist).

The Mandalay Palace was constructed from 1857 to 1859 largely by King Mindon Min. The king chose Mandalay to be the capital of Myanmar and as a result begun the construction of the palace.

The Mandalay Palace was the residence of King Mindon Mi and King Thibaw who were the last kings to reign under the Burmese Monarchy.

The Mandalay Palace is the last palace that was constructed in Myanmar. The last Burmese royal to live in the Mandalay Palace was a century ago.

2. The Plan of Mandalay Palace Follows the Traditional Burmese Palace Design

The plan of Mandalay Palace follows the traditional Burmese palace design substantially. The palace is built inside a walled fort and a moat surrounds it.  The palace faces east and is at the center of a Citadel.

The height of all buildings in the palace is one storey. The primary royal residence of King Mindon and King Thibaw who were the last two kings of Myanmar was the Mandalay Palace.  

3. Mandalay Palace Stopped Being A Seat of Government in 1885

Palace Lion Throne. Photo by Christophe95.

The Mandalay Palace ceased being a seat of government on 28^th November 1885 during the Third Anglo-Burmese War.

During the war troops of the Burma Field Force entered the palace and capture the royal family which ceased the complex from being a royal residence.

The British renamed the palace after the viceroy of India and turned the palace compound into Fort Dufferin. The palace was utilized as a garrison by the British after it was captured.

4. The Palace Compound Was Rebuilt After World War II Bombing

During World War II the Japanese built a military camp in the palace. As a consequence, only, the royal mint and the watch tower survived allied bombing as all the ancient palace building were completely destroyed.

Allied bombs also destroyed much of the palace compound during the war. In 1990s modern materials were utilized to rebuilt a replica of the initial palace.

The Mandalay Palace is a major tourist attraction today and a primary symbol of Mandalay.  The Myanmar military currently occupy and controls the imperial palace.

5. The Palace Was to Commemorate 2,400 Years of Buddhism Presence in The World

Buddha. Photo by Hintha.

The Mandalay Palace is constructed at the foot of the highest hill in city of Mandalay. Buddha is believed to have set foot on this hill according to Burmese legend.

The decision by King Mindon to build the palace at the foot of the hill was informed by his desire to commemorate the 2,400 years of Buddhism in the world. 

The king wanted to turn Mandalay and the entire region into the 鈥淏uddhist capital of Burma鈥� by constructing the palace at the foot of the hill.

6. The Palace Occupies 413- Hectares and Boasts of An Extremely Sophisticated Wall System

The total area occupied by the palace measures 413- hectares which translates to 1,020.55 acres. The center of the large complex was constructed using golden teak wood which is a high-quality furniture wood used for interior furnishings and building ships.

The palace is surrounded by a solidly and extremely sophisticated wall system which consists of four huge walls measuring 3 meters in thickness and 8 meters in height with artillery launchers fixed at intervals.

The wall was not destroyed and remains intact to date during the allied forces bombing of the palace during World War II when almost all of the palace compound was decimated.

7. The Palace Was Designed in A Way to Ward Off Intruders

The palace was constructed with twelve gates with three gates arranged for each wall between the corners and the doors.

The palace was built with four huge walls each measuring three meters in thickness and 8 meters in height with artillery launchers placed in each wall at the appropriate intervals to defend the palace from intruders.

The palace was also surrounded with a 64 meters wide moat with a series of bridges which was 4.5 meters deep. It is believed a system of spikes to trap intruders in case of an attack were put under the moat.

8. The Palace is Exquisitely Decorated

Palace Interior Decoration. Photo by Vyacheslav Argenberg.

A good collection of queens鈥� chambers is maintained in the North, South and West of the palace complex. High walls with ramparts, a moat, water and gardens surround the palace complex making it look very beautiful.

Royal elephants are used to decorate the high walls. Artifacts showcased in glass boxes and reproduction thrones fill the entire inside of the palace.  The statues of King Mindon Min and his successor King Thibaw are displayed in some of the rooms inside the palace.

9. Mandalay Palace Is an Attractive Tourist Site

Surrounded by a moat, Sagaing Bridge, and the nearby Ayeyarwady River, Mandalay Palace looks sparkling and beautiful.

Tourists can use taxis, buses, pedicabs or Mazda pickups to get to the palace. The palace is therefore accessible to tourists.  Tourists are encouraged to visit the palace during the dry season which falls between the months of November to February of each year.

Tourists can spend between one hour to even half a day to discover the Mandalay Palace and visit all the other equally famous tourism attractions in close proximity to the site.

10. The Mandalay Palace Fell Without Resistance

King Thibaw Mi. Photo by Unknown author.

In 1885, the British forces faced very little opposition as they marched towards Mandalay. Even though victory was coming easy, the most critical symbol of their victory was capturing the Mandalay Palace located at the centre of the city.

King Thibaw Min, the last reigning monarch surrendered unconditionally to the British forces which was easier than they had expected. The King and the queen were thereafter exiled to India on a bullock cart.