Ananda Pahto

Location: in the east of the ancient city wall of old Bagan.
Ticket: covered in the through ticket of Bagan Pass which charges US$15.

Regarded as the most graceful architecture in Bagan, Ananda Pahto is a Buddhism monastery of middle period of Bagan Kingdom built in the style combined that of Mon ethnic people and northern India.

The entire monastery is in square and covers about 6.7 hectares, and Ananda Paya is just standing in the middle. Ananda Paya is grandly standing more than 70 meters high and basing on an Indian style square platform. It has a gate respectively in four directions, each with a 9.5-meter-high standing Buddha which are reputed as the most majestic and magnificent Buddha statues in Bagan. The statues in southern and northern gates are original ones, while the other two are replicas casted in 18th century after a fire. The Buddha from the southern gate is the most amazing which has an amiable smile if look afar but a quite solemn face if look up at its foot. The whole body of Ananda Paya is in light yellow, on its outer wall are delicate painted pottery relievo of thousands of Buddha statues and the story of Gautama Buddha. Around the main pagoda, there are numerous small size stupas, Buddha statues, and shapes of animals and monsters.

Every morning, devout local people and pilgrims travel from afar come to Ananda Pahto to worship Buddha and present bouquets.