The Shittaung Pahto was built by King Minbin, one of the most powerful kings of the Mrauk Dynasty, in 1535. The ancient temple is located in Mrauk U of Myanmar. The high tower lies half a mile north from the palace city and has an intriguing floor plan that mimics a maze. It is believed that the temple was built as a fortress temple by King Minbin after a Portueguese attack. Other than its protective nature, the main purpose was for prayer and the king’s ceremonies. The central temple measures 160 ft. in length and 124 ft. wide while it stands 86 ft tall. The north and south walls have circular turret-like pagodas at regular intervals; one big and fourteen smaller ones at the north, and a bigger one at the south. Throughout Shitthaung Pahto, there are hundreds of Buddha images of various sizes.
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