What is a Pagoda?

A pagoda. in Southeast Asia. is cone-shaped monumental structure built in memory of Buddha. But in the Far East. a pagoda is a tower like. multistoried structure of stone. brick. or wood. usually associated with a Buddhist temple complex. The pagoda derives from the stupa of ancient India. which was a dome-shaped commemorative monument. usually erected over the remains or relics of a holy man or king. The hemispherical domed stupa of ancient India evolved into several distinct forms in various parts of Southeast and East Asia.
pagoda1 pagoda2
The finial. or decorative crowning ornament of the stupa. became more elongated and cylindrical until the stupa's upper portion took on an attenuated. tower like appearance. This stupa form was adopted by Buddhism as an appropriate form for a monument enshrining sacred relics and became known to Westerners as a pagoda. The Buddhist pagoda was elaborated in Tibet into a bottle-shaped form; it took pyramidal or conical designs in Burma. Thailand. Cambodia. and Laos; and in China. Korea. and Japan. it evolved into the best-known pagoda form.

The latter was a tall tower consisting of the vertical repetition of a basic story unit in regularly diminishing proportions. The stories can be circular. square. or polygonal. Each story in an East Asian pagoda has its own prominent projecting roof line. and the whole structure is capped by a mast and disks. The pagoda form is intended primarily as a monument and has very little usable interior space.
 

MTI APP (2013 beta)

qrcode-download-mti-apk

Free Myanmar Travel Information mobile app for your android phones or tablets.
Download Here

 

Airlines

 

Restaurants

 

Hotels

 

Travel Agents

 

Beauty & Spa

FREE for Tourists

freeinfo FREE Tour Info
Request free tour information here
freeguide FREE Travel Guide Book
Downloadable 32-page guide book in PDF
freecd FREE CD-Rom
Request for this multimedia presentation CD
freepd FREE Travel Apps
Travel Apps for iPhone & iPad
freeguide FREE E-Catalogue
Myanmar Travel E-Catalogue

Festivals & Events

Kason Bo Tree Watering Festival
24 May 2013
Pariyatti Sasana Examination
June 2013
Taungpyone Nat Festival
8 ~ 21 August 2013
Phaungdawoo Pagoda Festival
5 ~ 22 October 2013
 

Myanmar Gallery

Sample image

Myanmar Hotel Reservation


Diving

diving

Diving in the seas of Myanmar would dive you a great experience and joy for your holidays.

Bicycling

bicycling

Bicycling in Myanmar blends adventure and the time to taste the cultural heritage of the country.

map