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Kuthodaw Pagoda

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description Kuthodaw Pagoda Overview

The Kuthodaw Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa located at the foot of Mandalay Hill in Mandalay, Myanmar. The site is internationally recognized for housing the "world's largest book," which consists of 729 stone-inscription caves. Each cave contains a massive marble slab inscribed with text from the Tipitaka, the complete Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. Commissioned by King Mindon Min as part of the Fifth Buddhist Council in the 19th century, the site functions as both a religious pilgrimage destination and a historical archive of Buddhist scripture.

help Kuthodaw Pagoda FAQ

Why is Kuthodaw Pagoda called the world's largest book?

King Mindon commissioned the complex in Mandalay in 1857, with the Theravada Tipitaka carved onto 729 marble slabs. Each slab is housed in its own small shrine, creating a book-like library across the pagoda grounds.

What is written on the 729 stones at Kuthodaw Pagoda?

The inscriptions contain the Pali Buddhist canon, including the Tipitaka used in Theravada Buddhism. The text was divided across 729 marble slabs so visitors could read the canon shrine by shrine.

Where is Kuthodaw Pagoda located?

Kuthodaw Pagoda stands at the foot of Mandalay Hill in Mandalay, Myanmar. It forms part of the religious landscape created around Mandalay during King Mindon's reign in the nineteenth century.

When was Kuthodaw Pagoda built?

The pagoda and its inscription project were begun under King Mindon in 1857. The site is also known for the Maha Lawkamarazein Pagoda, which stands among the inscription shrines.

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