Just south of the Shwemawdaw Paya, the “Kanbawzathadi Golden Palace ” was built by King Bayinnaung in 1553 and it was once the ancient former capital in Bago. Restored in 1990, this site has been reconstructed in such a cool way – incorporating the exact layout of the former structure including the ancient teak wood beam pillars – right next to the newly built ones. One of the interesting things about the history of Buddhism is how much looting and pillaging happened in order to hold a sacred relic of the Buddha. There is an amazing reproduction of the thrones with a huge door that is a replica of the Lion’s throne that is in the national museum in Yangon and reproductions of many of the personal items of the kings that are also on display at the national museum. You can read more about the story behind the palace and the efforts to obtain a tooth of the Buddha here. My uncle and star of my documentary feature film The Fabulous Ice Age, Roy Blakey was thrilled to see a replica of the Lion Door – and as it is not allowed to photograph the door in the national museum – the Kanbawzathadi Golden Palace offers the opportunity to be documented with the door!