Innwa

Inwa or Ava, located just 20 km southwest of Mandalay Region, Burma (Myanmar), is an ancient imperial capital of successive Burmese kingdoms for nearly 400 years from the 14th to 19th centuries. Inwa was also known as Yadana Pura. It was first founded as a capital by King Thado Minbya in 1364 A.D. As successive kings ruled the war with King Raza Darit of Bago for many years, the Shan chief Thohan Bwa took the advantage and overran the capital. Gradually the kingdom grew weaker and finally it became a vassal to the Taungoo Empire. Later kings shifted the capital from Inwa back and forth many times until King Bayint Naung’s son King Nyaung Yan re-established his capital at Inwa in 1596 A.D. It continued to be capital till 1782 when Bodawpaya moved the capital to Amarapura. But his son King Bagyidaw moved his capital back to Inwa. The capital city was finally abandoned after it was completely destroyed by a series of major earthquakes in March 1839. Though only a few traces of its former grandeur remain today, the former capital is a popular day-trip tourist destination from Mandalay.

The name Inwa literally means “mouth of the Lake”, reflecting its geographical location at the mouth of lakes in the Kyaukse District. Another theory states that it is derived from Innawa, meaning “nine lakes” in the area. The city’s classical name in Pali is Ratanapura (“City of Gems”).

Inwa was identified as the seat of power in Burma that Inwa (as the Kingdom of Ava, or the Court of Ava) was the name by which Burma was known to Europeans down to the 19th century.