Officials of the Department of Archeology and National Museums (Bagan Branch) said that visitors can study the unique mural paintings and architecture and fine arts of the Ananda Brick Monastery in the Bagan ancient cultural region of Mandalay Region.
Ananda Monastery was built in 1785 AD and the donor was Bagan archivist Ottanaraja (aka) U Nyo.
Compared to other brick buildings in Bagan, the architecture and fine arts of the Ananda Monastery are exceptionally fascinating, and the wall paintings from the Konbaung era are still in decent condition.
Due to the fact that the donor record and the stucco flowers remain in good condition, officials chose to carry out a pilot project in order to be able to carry out the conservation guide line in the maintenance of the religious buildings in Bagan region to draw the people’s interest.
In Ananda Monastery, visitors can study the wall paintings depicting the Konbaung era’s culture and social economic development, as well as faith and protection.
The building that was affected by the earthquake in 2016 has been subjected to some preliminary maintenance as some works have been carried out in accordance with the Pilot Project.
Thanks to the conservation guideline, masonry injection and stitching, strengthening work, mural and plaster conservation work are done with the efforts local and international experts.
In carrying out the Pilot Project, maintenance work is being carried out by a team consisting of experts from UNESCO and local and foreign experts and technicians from the Department of Archeology and National Museum.
The east of the Ananda Monastery is Min Oh Chantha Pagoda build by King Kyansittha, while the western part of the building is Thetbyinnyu and NanU pagodas build by King Alaung Sithu and the royal palace mound of Bagan of kings named Anawrahta and Kyansitth. — Dipa Lin/KZL
