The first look from a distance on the river, its appearance is that of a large mound, nothing more. But as you go closer, you will amaze the gigantic size of King Bodawpaya’s Mingun pagoda, which is also dubbed as “the world’s biggest pile of bricks”. This pagoda was built between 1790 and 1800 and the construction work halted due to a prophecy: “if this pagoda would finish, the great country will be ruined”; although there had been many other reasons for the king to stop it underway. The one third of intended height, 50m and the width of 72m each side with deep cracks caused by 1838 earthquake is still considered as sacred and visitors are requested to remove the foot wares before going up the partial rubble top providing stunning views of the river and the surround plains. The two huge but collapsed guardian lions stand facing the river as the king intended the eastside as the main entrance. The miniature pagoda, scale down to 5-m can be seen in the south of Mingun paya and said to be the king’s working model.