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Innwa, located about 15 KM south of Mandalay is actually sited on an island that was created by the Myittha
Chaung, which was cut to join the Ayeyarwaddy River with its tributary, the
Myitgne. The city is thus bounded by the Ayeyarwaddy on its north, the Myitnge on its east and on the south and west by the Myittha canal linking the two rivers.
Innwa, like Mingun, has all the essentials of an idyllic
existence, and this old capital, now
not more than a small town or a
large village, has intensely suffer
ups and downs of fate more than any
other past capitals in the nation’s
history. And this old capital
manifests the law of impermanence of
existence in general, and with this
subtle mood many a visitors or
pilgrim will come to appreciate the
idyllic beauty and delightful charms
of the place.
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Innwa
was founded by King
Thado Minpya in 1364 AD,
the youngest king at the
age of 19 years ever to
build a capital: first
the city was
timber-walled and a year
later it was
brick-walled. The first
Innwa period with a line
of 20 kings spanned 233
years, and the second
period with ten kings
lasted over 150 years
making Innwa the uninterrupted longest serving capital in history. It was also briefly made capital twice in the last 19th century Konbaung dynasty when it was exposed and vulnerable to the encroachment of Western colonial expansion. |
Mainu Brick Monastery (Ava)
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In 1597 AD King Nyaungyan made Innwa a capital for the second time, and a new golden palace was again built by his younger son King
Thar-lun, the donor of the huge bulbous pagoda Kaungmudaw near Sagaing. In 1752, Ava was invaded and destroyed by Mon.
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