Thanlyin is a major port city of Myanmar, located acrossBago River from the city of Yangon.Thanlyin Township comprises 17 quarters and 28 village tracts. Thilawa Port in Thanlyin Is home to the largest port in the country.
Thanlyin first came to prominence in the 15th century as the main port city of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom. In 1539, the city became part of Taungoo Kingdom. In 1599, the city fell to the Rakhine forces led by the Portuguese mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote, who was made governor of the city. De Brito declared independence from his nominal Rakhine masters in 1603, defeated the invading Rakhine navy in 1604 and 1605, and successfully established Portuguese rule over Syria or Sirião -as it was called back then under the Portuguese viceroy of Goa. In 1613, Myanmar king Anauk Patlu Reconquered the city, and executed Brito by impalement, a punishment reserved for defilers of Buddhisttemples.
Thanlyin remained the major port of the Taungoo kingdom until the mid-18th century. Since 1756 when King Alaungpaya of Konbaung dynasty captured the city, the importance has shifted to Yangon across the river. Thanlyin became part of the British Empire In 1852 after the Second Anglo-Burmese War. The British made the city into the oil refinery center of the country in the early 20th century to process the oil shipped from central Burma. The refinery was destroyed during World War II. The Thanlyin refinery was rebuilt in 1957, and in 1979 a pipeline was completed between Syriam and the Man oilfield.Since the 1990s, the city has undergone major changes. Thanlyin was finally connected to Yangon by road in 1993 when the Thanlyin Bridge was built. In the late 1990s, Thilawa Port was built to handle the container ships away from Yangon’s ports. The city is home to a national university in Myanmar Maritime University, and local universities in the University of East Yangon and Technological University, Thanlyin.
KyaikKhauk Pagoda is located about 3 miles southeast of Thanlyin Bridge, on Kyaik-Khauk Pagoda road, Thanlyin Township in Yangon. KyaikKhauk Pagoda was built on a hillock named HlaingPoteKone on the road from Thanlyin to Kyauktan. It features an imposing golden Mon-style stupa similar to Shwedagon Pagoda across the river. The legend of the pagoda’s founding dates back 2300 years ago when it was built by King Sulathrima from Thaton, who also enshrined a replica of the Buddha’s hair inside its relic chamber. The pagoda has been damaged by earthquakes five times, with rebuilding work beginning shortly after each disaster. There are not only the Mahamuni Buddha Image ( Buddha image in royal costume similarly to Mahamuni Buddha Image in Mandalay) and Emerald Buddha Image From Bangkok but also Nat-Shin-Naung’s Tombstone (the Warrior-poet in the late 16 century and early 17th century) and Minister Padaetharajz’s tombstone (the royal laureate of Myanmar in 12 AD) at this Pagoda.
The KyaikKhauk Pagoda was built on a hillock named Hlaing PaduKone on the road from Thanlyin to Kyauktan.It is Mon-style stupa similar to Shwedagon Pagoda. The pagoda was built by the Mon King CulaThirimasoka of Thaton in the Buddhist Era 241. KyaikKhauk Pagoda had been successfully repaired and renovated by 18 kings who reigned Myanmar.Yele Pagoda at Kyauktan means the Pagoda in mid-stream on a laterite reef. The Pagoda is also known as KyaikMhaw Won Pagoda. The pagoda was built by King Zeyasana, the seventh king of the Pada Dynasty in the third century BC. The height of the original pagoda was only 11ft. The only way to get into the pagoda is by boat. Foreigners are required to sit at a “larger boat” which differs from the smaller ones that the locals take due to “security purposes”.
Inside the BOC officer’s quarter is a very old Portuguese Church. Believed to have been built in 18 century, the church is now in ruin but the walls are still intact. Inside the church are two tombstones of Portuguese missionaries from 18th century. British Burma era Sacred Heart Church is also in Thanlyin.
