📖 Kuthodaw Pagoda
Myanmar
About This Sacred Site
Kuthodaw Pagoda at the foot of Mandalay Hill is nicknamed 'the world's largest book' because it contains 729 marble slabs inscribed with the entire Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. Built by King Mindon in 1857, each stone slab is housed in its own small white stupa, creating a forest of 729 miniature pagodas surrounding the central golden stupa. The inscriptions were carved by teams of scribes and stone masons over a period of seven years. A 730th stone slab was later added recording the history of the project itself.
Key Facts
- •Contains 729 marble slabs inscribed with the entire Pali Canon — the 'world's largest book'
- •Each of the 729 slabs is housed in its own small white-washed stupa
- •Built by King Mindon starting in 1857, taking seven years to inscribe all the texts
- •Located at the foot of Mandalay Hill, one of Myanmar's most sacred sites
- •A 730th slab records the history of the pagoda's construction
Location
Coordinates: 21.9580, 96.1124
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