Prince Yazakumar constructed this temple to honor his father, King Kyansittha, after his death in 1113. The temple is built in a Mon and Indian style.
No photography is allowed inside, so a flashlight is recommended to see the many beautifully detailed frescoes of the interior walls. Since most the temple is rather dark, you’ll notice the soft light falling on the large sitting Buddha. Architects constructed a small skylight window high in the ceiling so that the sun illuminates Buddha.
Just outside of the temple is the historically important Burmese artifact known as the Myazedi inscription. Etched in 1113 the stone contains the story of its benefactor, Prince Yazakumar, and King Kyansittha. What makes this significant is not just that it's the oldest surviving inscription of Burmese, but the fact that each side of the stone is written in a different language; Burmese, Pyu, Mon and Pali. The stone would aid linguists in deciphering the ancient Pyu language.
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