23 February 2016•Update: 25 February 2016
By Kyaw Ye Lynn
YANGON, Myanmar
Myanmar’s government has banned tourists from climbing any ancient monuments to view the sun rising or setting over a distinctive landscape of thousands of pagodas in Bagan, the capital of a 11th-13th century kingdom, state-media reported Tuesday.
The Ministry of Culture announced the ban six days after a Chinese company filmed a video showing people donning western-style suits dancing on the top floor of ancient pagodas in Bagan, situated in the central Madalay Division and among the world's top travel destinations.
After the video clips drew criticism, the authority responded late Monday by insisting that such permission would never be granted again.
The announcement said the ban that would take effect March 1 resulted from concern for the ancient pagodas and monuments – some of which need urgent preservation – and disrespectful conduct by some tourists.
Tourists had been banned from climbing the pagodas and monuments in 2012 to prevent further deterioration to their delicate stairways and terraces.
However, a few outlying temples including one of Bagan’s tallest, the Shwesandaw built in 1057 by King Anawrahta, had remained freely accessible.
An official from local activist group "Bagan Lovers" said Tuesday that the ban is sure to disappoint both local and international tourists.
Maung Lone told Anadolu Agency that climbing a pagoda to watch a sunrise or sunset as it lights up the ancient temples and surrounding plain is among the greatest allures of any trip to the city.
“I think such a ban is not the answer to preserve the old temples in Bagan,” he said.
“By systematically allowing tourists to clamber over the distinctive landscape of thousands of pagodas, the revenue would be used to preserve the old temples,” he added.
“Otherwise the temples and pagoda would be like abandoned ones.”
From the 11th to 13th centuries, the city had served as the capital of the Kingdom of Bagan, the first dynasty to unify the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar.
During the kingdom's height, more than 13,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed in Bagan’s 42-square-kilometer (16-square-mile) plain.
Of them, around 2,200 temples and pagodas survive to the present day while another 2,000 remain in ruins.
