Shwenandaw Kyaung (Teak Temple), Mandalay

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Known locally as the Teak Monastery, this interesting building once served as the royal apartments for King Mindon, later it was converted into a Buddhist Monastery. One of the few original buildings that survived the destruction of the city. The central building was built on tail poles and was constructed with teak wood, it´s surrounded by a wooden veranda. All the balaustrades and roof cornices are beautifully carved. Free Entrance.

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A beautiful example of a Burmese teak temple, this monastery was once part of the palace precinct of Mandalay Fort, but dismantled and moved to the present location for its current use in 1880. Originally used as an apartment by King Mindon, the remnants of the exquisite artistry of the teak carvers of the past, remain roughly chiselled in the panels which adorn the inside and outside of the main building.

The best examples of the panels are obviously inside, where the effects of weathering are less evident. There is a series of 10 panels - jataka, depicting past life stories of the Buddha.

We had the opportunity to watch some of the young monks doing their studies here - and had a strolling chat with one of the boys, who showed us around the monastery.

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Shwenandaw Kyaung , if I`m not wrong...
Teak wood...
Built by King Mindon in the mid-nineteenth century. Originally part of the royal palace at Amarapura, it was moved to Mandalay... King Mindon died here in 1878, and his son and successor, King Thibaw , often went there to meditate... I tried too , but alas !
Thibaw very soon became a mad about that Mindon’s spirit was haunting the building...
Oh gods , gods ...why do you punish me?...my reason no longer serves me...
Poison, bring me poison..

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Mandalay
Shwenandaw Kyaung

Realmente bonito por las tallas de madera que tiene en el exterior y en el interior. Este edidicio form? parte del Palacio Real

Really nice due to the wood carvings inside and outside.This building was part of the Royal Palace

These panels are so cool. I'm surprised that they survived the British Era. Some of them look quite weather beaten. I'm willing to venture a guess that not all of the panel are as old as they say. Some of them look newer than others. At one time this building was gilded and decorated with glass mosaics but that is long gone.

This whole building is just fantastic (to me) I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I had seen similar buildings but done out of stone. This is all done out of Teak! Each panel has some sort of story. I didn't really take the time to learn much about it. As I would have failed the test the next day but it sure was cool to look at!

This building is very interesting as it is all carved out of wood. And quite a bit of the outside is very weather worn! Without some serious restoration this Monastery will be dissapearing! I was suprised to see such a building. The inside is quite nice and cool. I enjoyed walking on the wooden floors! I guess at one time the outside was covered in some sort of Gold but that is all gone now.

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This historic building is magic. The carving is excuisit and the gold work inside superb

A must see

The interior of the monastery is quite disappointing, very dark, simple and austere...specially compared with the beautiful decoration of the outside.

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The whole exterior of the building is carved, the balaustrades, the walls and the roof cornices. A very delicated work, the bad thing is that some of the carvings are in bad condition.