Around The Royal Palace In Mandalay

King Mindon's Royal Palace consists of a couple of dozen wood pagoda-style buildings, arranged in a loose grid. Buildings vary in size to connote importance. The bigger, the better, you get the concept. It was built in 1859, abandoned by 1885 when the British rolled into town and was mostly destroyed by Allied bombing during WWII. Today's palace is a rebuilt replica from the 1990s.

The approach is from the east and the first building one sees and crosses through is the Great Audience Hall.

Once inside the grounds, various maroon and white buildings line wooden paths. Nice gold trim work on the roof awnings.

Inside one of the pagodas, a wooden royal family.

For vintage 1990s, the place feels well worn. You can't have enough wood embellishment, best emphasized on smaller structures.

Cruising the main drag. The feel is a bit like Mandalay's version of China's Forbidden City.

Looking At The Mandalay Palace Grounds With Sepia Eyes

A large chunk of center city real estate is carved out for the old royal palace, built by King Mindon around 1859. It's a huge square of land, surrounded by a moat and thick, brick walls. In dusty morning light, the place takes on an old time postcard look.

Gazing across the still water.

One of the entry gates and a bridge crossing the moat.

A walk along the outer wall.

The big wall is impressive, double height brick topped with ramparts. Inside the compound. Beyond the core palace buildings, there's plenty of room for a military base, including barracks and a field in need of some irrigation.

A gate, from across the moat.