Golden Palace Monastery - Shwenanday Kyaung

Gate to the Golden Palace Monastery	Stone gate tower of the Golden Palace Monastery	Notice for Foreigners - no smoking in the wooden monastery (like what idiot would even think of doing that?)	Shwenandaw Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery - a remnant of Mandalay Palace
Golden Palace Monastery was built by King Mindon ca 1857-1859	Detail of the intricate woodwork of the teak building	In the 1880, just a few years before the end of the monarchy in Burma, the building was moved outside of the palace walls	The former royal palace was converted into a monastery re-erected 500m east of the northeast corner of the palace moat
Re-erected in the new location, the Golden Palace was spared the bombings of World War II	The Golden Palace is the sole survivor of the original Mandalay Palace and one can only mourn the loss of the rest of the palace	...if this is what King Thibaw Min gave away (in 1880), one can only imaging what he had kept for himself	Teak carvings of the Golden Palace Monastery, Mandalay
Teak carving of a naga serpent, Shwenanday Kyaung	Teak carving of a naga serpent, Shwenanday Kyaung	Fine wooden details of the Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung Monastery, Mandalay
The entire building was once gilded in gold and covered with glass mosaics - that must have been a sight to see!	Detail of the carvings on one of the many gables, Shwenanday Kyaung Monastery, Mandalay	Some of the teak carvings are rather weather-worn	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery, Mandalay
Shwenanday Kyaung Monastery, Mandalay	Teak wood carving, Shwenanday Kyaung, Mandalay	Teak wood carving, Shwenanday Kyaung, Mandalay	Western hall in the interior of the Golden Palace with traces of the original gold leaf
Pillars of the Great Western Hall, Shwenanday Kyaung	Gilded roof and pillars of the Great Western Hall, Shwenanday Kyaung	Monk at the Golden Palace Monastery	Woodcarving, Shwenanday Kyaung
Western hall of the Golden Palace Monastery	Ornate interior doors intricately carved	Detail of a door carving, Golden Palace Monastery	Detail of a door carving, Golden Palace Monastery
Detail of a door carving, Golden Palace Monastery	Dennis at the Golden Palace Monastery	Dennis at the Golden Palace Monastery	Great Eastern Hall, Golden Palace Monastery
Woodcarving, Shwenanday Kyaung Monastery	Woodcarving, Shwenanday Kyaung Monastery	Pillared Great Eastern Hall, Grand Palace Monastery	Gilded roof beams, Grand Palace Monastery
Woodcarving, Shwenanday Kyaung Monastery	Woodcarving, Shwenanday Kyaung Monastery	Eastern Hall of Golden Palace Monastery	Eastern Hall of Golden Palace Monastery
Woodcarving, Shwenanday Kyaung, Mandalay	Woodcarving, Shwenanday Kyaung, Mandalay	Principle Buddha Image, Eastern Hall, Shwendanday Kyaung, Mandalay	Golden Palace Monastery, Mandalay
Wall and door covered with wood carvings	Golden Palace Monastery, Mandalay	Golden Palace Monastery, Mandalay	Wooden doors, Eastern Hall (south side)
Detail of the door carvings, Golden Palace Monastery	Detail of the door carvings, Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery
Badly weathered exterior carving	Large woodcarving, Golden Palace Monastery	Some of the weathered figures have been replaced by new ones	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery
Western exterior walkway	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Western door, Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery
Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Young monk sitting in a doorway of the Golden Palace Monastery
Burmese monk at Shwenanday Kyaung, Mandalay	View from the eastern terrace of the Golden Palace Monastery to the gates of the Buddhist University	Tourist shopping outside the Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery
Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Shwenanday Kyaung - Golden Palace Monastery	Burmese children outside the Golden Palace Monastery
Most of them are wearing the traditional yellow Burmese face paint	Dennis and a young postcard seller, Mandalay