Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Shadow Room
The Museum of Lost Tales
Sherlock Holmes Statue
Sherlock Holmes Statue
South Pole Growth Chamber
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
13 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
16 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
20 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
27 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Myanmar (Burma) Inn Wa Inwa

Inwa

A grand imperial capital left to fall into magnificent ruin.

Inn Wa, Myanmar (Burma)

Added By
joel
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Maha Aungmye Bonzan (Me Nu Oak Kyaung) Monastery   leiris
Maha Aungmye Bonzan (Me Nu Oak Kyaung) Monastery   leiris
Maha Aungmye Bonzan (Me Nu Oak Kyaung) Monastery Side View   Hans A Rosbach on Flickr
Maha Aungmye Bonzan (Me Nu Oak Kyaung) Monastery Detail   Hans A Rosbach on Flickr
Bagaya Kyaung (Teak Monastery)   leiris
Yadanasini Pagoda (Yadana Hsemee Pagoda)   leiris
Nanmyin Tower (Leaning Tower of Inwa), Pre-Restoration   leiris
Nanmyin Tower, After Restoration   momo on Flickr
More Stupa Action   leiris
Cow Checking Out a Stupa   KX Studio on Flickr
Old Swimming Pool   Jason Eppink on Flickr
City Walls   Hybernator on Wikipedia
  RonnyTom70 / Atlas Obscura User
Ruins of pagodas scattered across Inwa.   RonnyTom70 / Atlas Obscura User
The ruins of Leytatgyi Kyaung (Four Storey Monastery)   RonnyTom70 / Atlas Obscura User
  RonnyTom70 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

For a total of 360 years spread over the course of five centuries, Inwa was the capital of successive Burmese kingdoms. Then, in 1839, it was leveled by earthquakes and subsequently abandoned. The wheel of fortune turns on us all, human and city alike.

Inwa — also spelled Innwa, known in classical Pali as Ratanapura ("City of Gems"), and known locally as Awa or Ava — was originally founded in 1365. Located at the confluence of the Irrawaddy and Myitnge Rivers on an artificial island formed by a canal connecting the two rivers upstream from their natural point of meeting, Inwa was built to be the capital of a newly unified kingdom that came to be known, appropriately enough, as the Kingdom of Ava. And so it remained for 190 years, serving not only as the seat of power in Upper Burma, but also as the center of a flourishing period of Burmese literature.

In 1555 the Kingdom of Ava fell. However, the city of Inwa and its political prestige lived on, serving as the capital of all of Burma from 1599 to 1613, then again from 1635 to 1752, then again from 1765 to 1783. Then again from 1821 to 1842.

The aforementioned series of devastating earthquakes struck on March 22, 1839; the entire region was affected, but the capital was hit particularly hard. Although Inwa had been sacked, destroyed, and rebuilt several times over its long history, this time it would not be so. The city was not rebuilt, the capital was officially moved to Amarapura on February 10, 1842, and Inwa was left to the elements.

The former imperial city is now a rural area where livestock graze and farmers raise crops amidst the remains of pagodas, palace towers, monasteries, and massive city walls that once formed the outline of a seated lion. One of the monasteries — Bagaya Kyaung, a towering structure built entirely of teak — is still in use as a monastery and school today. Local guides provide tours of the site via horse-drawn carts.

Related Tags

Ruins Abandoned Pagodas Temples Ghost Towns Palaces Towers Stupas

Community Contributors

Added By

leiris

Edited By

hrnick, RHyzer, RonnyTom70

  • hrnick
  • RHyzer
  • RonnyTom70

Published

February 11, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.go-myanmar.com/inwa-ava-innwa
  • http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-travel/myanmar-mandalay/innwa.htm
  • http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2013/02/inwa-near-mandalay-myanmar/
  • http://www.myanmarburma.com/attraction/543/monasteries-of-inwa
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inwa
Inwa
Inn Wa
Myanmar (Burma)
21.858275, 95.984566

Nearby Places

Werawsana Jade Pagoda

Kyaukse, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Snake Pagoda of Myanmar

Kyaukse, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

U Bein Bridge

Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar (Burma)

Asia

Places 33
Stories 5

Nearby Places

Werawsana Jade Pagoda

Kyaukse, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Snake Pagoda of Myanmar

Kyaukse, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

U Bein Bridge

Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma)

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar (Burma)

Asia

Places 33
Stories 5

Related Places

  • The ruins of the Zamskhang palace.

    Tegar, India

    Zamskhang Palace Ruins

    This abandoned palace and the stupas around it conceal beautiful Buddhist frescoes, statues, and silk paintings.

  • Cabin made of old railroad ties.

    Carlin, Nevada

    Palisade

    Little is left of this formerly bustling railroad junction on the Transcontinental Railroad.

  • Malo Grablje, Croatia

    Abandoned Village of Malo Grablje

    This deserted town in the hills of Croatia’s "party island" may have a scandalous connection to King Henry VIII.

  • Argonne, South Dakota

    Argonne Ghost Town

    Once a thriving town of 100, Argonne was abandoned around 1970.

  • Nye County, Nevada

    Warm Springs Ghost Town

    The only thing still moving in this town is the eponymous hot spring.

  • Perlora, Vacation City

    Perlora Ciudad de Vacaciones, Spain

    Perlora Ciudad de Vacaciones (Vacation City)

    The closed and crumbling Francoist luxury resort for workers is still full of life—for now.

  • Conata

    Conata, South Dakota

    Conata

    A ghost town now swarming with dozens of prairie dogs.

  • Borgo Fazio (administration building)

    Trapani, Italy

    Borgo Amerigo Fazio

    A never-inhabited village that was built as part of Mussolini's agricultural reforms.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.