Inwa ancient cultural area being shaped as one-day visit of travellers

A plan is underway to shape cultural heritage stupas and buildings in Inwa ancient cultural area as a one-day package tour for international travellers in TadaU Township of Mandalay Region, said a Mandalay branch official from the Department of Archaeology and National Museum.
Ancient cultural temples and stupas mushroom in Inwa area. Local and foreign travellers take a half-day in visiting prominent sites in ancient city-state Inwa such as Bagaya monastery, Mei Nu brick monastery, the royal palace wall, the Nanmyint tower, and the Hsinkyon fortress.
The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism created further destinations at the six-series of the pagoda, the nine-series of the pagoda, the cluster of Daw Gyan pagodas, Myintmotaung Pagoda and Wingapa Pagoda, for travellers at ancient stupas and temples in the Inwa, Nyaungyan and Amarapura eras. A meeting will be held to negotiate with the Tour Guides Associations to be able to arrange the one-day package tour to these new attractive sites.
“Currently, travellers bound to Inwa area pay a half-day visit to destinations. So, we set more destinations to arrange the one-day trip for travellers with the construction of roads to ensure travellers’ convenience.
“We will make more efforts to renovate ancient stupas and temples and ensure smooth transportation. If tourism services resurge in future, the ministry will coordinate with the tour guide association in order to insert the Inwa area as a one-day trip for travellers into the ancient cultural lists,” the official said.
At present, efforts are being made to put the MraukU area into the World Heritage Lists. Moreover, arrangements are being made to enlist the Inwa ancient area to be recognized by UNESCO as the World Heritage Site. Hence, the area is under preservation to mitigate the loss and waste of ancient heritage and improve the living standard of the local people.
Ancient city-state Inwa was established by King Thadoeminphya in 1364 AD. During the four-hundred-year period until King Bagyidaw in 1821 AD, successive kings, queens, royal families, and people donated 624 stupas, temples, tunnels, and buildings. — Min Htet Aung (Mdy Sub-Printing House)/GNLM