Buddhist monasteries · The kingdom of Pagan under Narapatisithu · as at first light, 1 January 1200

The Thatbyinnyu

Built by Alaungsithu (Sithu I), founded 1144 or 1145 (506 ME) and finished 1150 or 1151 (512 ME).

It is the tallest building at Pagan, 61.3 m to the roof and 66 m to the pinnacle, a five-storey hall in which the first two floors held monks, the third images, the fourth a library and the fifth relics (English Wikipedia, citing the 1902 report). The chronicle says the king gave it and the Shwegugyi large quantities of rubies. Its terraces were meant to carry over five hundred jataka plaques, apparently never put up.

No inscription is mentioned on the page.

Who holds it

Title
Keepers of the temple
Since
not known
Born
not known
Family
not known
Confidence
low

English Wikipedia, Thatbyinnyu Temple (citing the Maha Yazawin, Hmannan, Coedes and the 1902 Archaeological Report).

What it holds

  • The temple, its monks' quarters and its library

How it was acquired

Founded by Alaungsithu.

How things stand that morning

A fifty-year-old royal temple in use as a monastery and library.

Places of note

  • The Thatbyinnyu: Tall five-storey temple.

Where the sources disagree

  • The campaign board entry thatbyinnyu: 'Alaungsithu's temple of 1150 or 1151'. The page gives 1144/45 to 1150/51; the campaign board's dates are the completion. The campaign board entry coordinates 21.167, 94.864 differ by about 200 m from the page's 21.16875, 94.86295.

Evidence: Dated by the chronicle and Coedes; a standing building; the gifts are chronicle only.

"The campaign board" is OMNIA's working map. These notes record where its earlier claims were checked against the sources.

Primary sources for Kingdom of Pagan

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

Sources and studies

  1. English Wikipedia, Thatbyinnyu Temple
  2. English Wikipedia, Bagan

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.