One of the most fascinating aspects of downtown Yangon is its rich urban heritage. Yangon has a diverse cosmopolitan history and this is reflected in its unique collection of heritage buildings. A wide variety of 19th and early 20th century colonial buildings still remained intact and they offer visitors a unique glimpse into Yangon’s history. In the following post we are briefly going to describe some of the architectural highlights that you can visit on our walking tours of Yangon.
Explore History and the Arts on Pansodan Street
Some of the most famous examples of heritage architecture can be found on the lower block of Pansodan Street, between Merchant Road and Strand Road. In the early 20th century it was the most exclusive address in Yangon and was home to prominent government offices, banks and businesses. Today, most buildings on the street remain just as they were over fifty years ago and so a visit to the street offers a great opportunity to step back in time and experience old Yangon. Some of the highlights include the Lokanat building, a stately yellow building featuring Italian architectural styles, located on the corner of Pansodan and Merchant Road. Built in 1906, the Lokanat building was original a prestigious commercial complex home to some of Yangon’s most wealthy businessmen. Today, the building houses the Lokanat art gallery, a public art gallery showcasing local Burmese artists. Inside the building, many of the original floor tiles imported from Manchester over 100 years ago remained intact along with beautiful but decaying teak staircases and paneling. Other highlights are the Inland Water Transport building (1931), the Western District Criminal Court (circa 1900) and the Ministry of Information (1920s).
The middle block of Pansodan Street located between Merchant Road and Anawrahta Road also features a number of interesting heritage buildings. Highlights include the Teejoomal Department Store (1888), a colorful building which housed Yangon’s oldest and largest department store, and the Central Telegraph office (1917), an example of classic administrative colonial architecture.
Marvel at the Grand Architecture of Strand Road
At the southern end of Pansodan Street is the equally famous Strand Road which features several famous examples of heritage architecture. Highlights on the road include the Custom House (1916), an administrative building for monitoring duties on goods coming into the cities port, the clock on the wall of the building, installed over a century ago, is still operating. The Criminal Court (circa 1900), an interesting green and white building with art deco elements and features such as lion gargoyles. The Strand Hotel (1901), one of the most luxurious hotels in South East Asia during the rule of the British Empire.
Soak in the Atmosphere at Merchant Road & Maha Bandoola Road
Cutting through the Lower and Middle blocks of Pansodan Street is Merchant Road. Architectural highlights on the road include the Myanmar Economic Bank (1900), the Myanmar Oil & Gas Enterprise (1908) and a number of merchant banks (circa 1900). Running parallel to Merchant Road is Maha Bandoola Road. The road features the famous Sule pagoda at its center. The Pagoda, unique for its octagonal shape dates back to over 2300 years and is the geographic and spiritual heart of Yangon. Architectural highlights around Sule pagoda include the High Court (1905) which housed the highest court in Myanmar until 2006, Immanuel Baptist Church (1885) one of the oldest churches in Yangon built by American missionaries, Rowe & Co Department Store (1908), the most luxurious department store in Yangon during colonial times, City Hall (1925) the seat of Yangons municipal administration and the first masonry building in Myanmar to incorporate traditional architectural styles, and Maha Bandoola Garden (1867) a public park with the original fences built in 1924 still intact and it features the Myanmar independence monument, an obelisk that symbolizes Myanmars independence from the British Empire.
Explore Other Historic Sites in Yangon
Another place of interest is the Secretariat area which features the Secretariat complex (1889-1905). The massive complex occupies an entire block and was designed as the administrative seat of the colonial government. It was here that on July 19th 1947, General Aung San and his ministerial colleagues were assassinated just prior to Myanmar’s independence.
The Indian Quarter and China town are also worth exploring for glimpses into Yangon’s fascinating history. Walking along 32nd and 29th Street, West of Sule pagoda between Merchant Road and Maha Bandoola Road, gives a chance to see more beautiful colonial architecture and vibrant street life. Highlights include E.M. De Souza Pharmacy (1914), located between 31st and 32nd street, one of the oldest pharmacies in Yangon and the Mughal Shia Mosque (1918), an interesting white and black mosque which contains Yangon’s oldest well built in 1852.
For more information on walking tours through downtown Yangon visit our website at the following link.
For more detailed information on the heritage buildings visit the website of the Yangon Heritage Trust, an organization working to promote the conservation of Yangon’s heritage buildings, at the following link.
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