Kuthodaw Pagoda Mandalay Hill rising behind the Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay, Myanmar. (more) Kuthodaw Pagoda pagoda complex, Mandalay, Myanmar Written by Ethan Teekah Ethan Teekah is an Associate Editor at Encyclopædia Britannica, where he leads coverage of Asia. Ethan Teekah Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated May 1, 2026 •History Kuthodaw Pagoda, pagoda in Mandalay, Myanmar, completed in 1868 by order of King Mindon (reigned 1853–78). It was commissioned as part of the establishment of Mandalay as the new royal capital. The complex is best known for housing an extraordinary edition of the Pali canon, the body of Theravada Buddhist scripture, inscribed across 729 marble tablets arranged within individual white stupas surrounding a central gilded pagoda. The central stupa also houses various sacred relics, including...

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