Mandalay Palace

Mandalay Palace is the central royal compound founded by King Mindon in the mid-19th century as the seat of Burma’s last dynasty. The complex is a walled citadel with a moat that marks the historic center of Mandalay.

The palace is laid out as a rectangular walled enclosure with defensive ramparts and a surrounding moat; inside are the open parade grounds and the sites of former audience halls and royal apartments. Much of the original wooden palace was lost to fire and wartime destruction, and the visible compound today includes modern reconstructions on the original footprint. Adjacent to the citadel are several important historic timber structures and monasteries that visitors often include in the same visit.

The palace and city were founded by King Mindon in 1857 when the capital was moved to Mandalay; the site served as the administrative and ceremonial centre of the Konbaung dynasty until British occupation in 1885. The palace complex suffered extensive destruction during 20th-century conflicts, and large-scale reconstruction and restoration of the precincts took place in the late 20th century.

The palace occupies a central position in Mandalay city, on the east side of the Irrawaddy basin, and is reached by the city road network and short local transport links.

• Founding and reconstruction: The original palace was established by King Mindon in 1857 as the royal seat of the Konbaung dynasty; much of the complex was destroyed during wartime and later reconstructed.
• Urban setting: The complex sits within the urban grid of Mandalay and is visible from surrounding streets and from short elevated viewpoints around the city.

What to See #

• Citadel walls and moat: Moat and defensive walls that form the rectangular citadel enclosing the palace precincts and separate the royal compound from the surrounding city.
• Central palace compound: Central palace compound where the main audience halls and royal apartments were sited; the original palace complex occupied the citadel's center.
• Shwenandaw Monastery (nearby): Shwenandaw Monastery, a nearby teak building originally part of the royal palace complex and preserved as a fine example of Burmese wood carving.