The kings of Mandalay had an urge to commence their reign with a new capital, so the surroundings of Mandalay comprise several ancient royal cities. Mingun, reached through a one hour river cruise, is known for a stupa which would have been the largest in the world. It remains uncompleted because an astrologer claimed that once finished, the king would die. To go with it, the largest ringing bell in the world (90 tons) was cast. Ava (Inwa) was the capital of Burma for nearly 360 years, but it was entirely leved by earthquakes, after which the capital was moved to Amarapura. Nowadays, both ancient capitals are villages.
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