Kuthodaw Pagoda

Rank: Top 300

Wonder Type: Cultural

Country: Myanmar

Best of: Architecture, Buddhism, Pagoda, Stupa

Kuthodaw Pagoda, literally Royal Merit is a Buddhist stupa, that contains the world's largest book. It lies at the foot of Mandalay Hill and was built during the reign of King Mindon. The stupa itself, which is gilded above its terraces, is 188 feet (57 m) high, and is modelled after the Shwezigon Pagoda at Nyaung-U near Bagan. In the grounds of the pagoda are 729 kyauksa gu or stone-inscription caves, each containing a marble slab inscribed on both sides with a page of text from the Tipitaka, the entire Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. [More Details]