Ananda Temple of Pagan, Burma

The temple pictured above is the Ananda Temple, dedicated in 1090. The Ananda Temple is located in Pagan, Burma and is “the most famous and venerated shrine among the roughly 2000 Buddhist monuments in this area.” (ABTW pg. 74) The intricate designs and ornaments on the temple are from the Brahmanic architecture of Bengal, India. The temple is located in what looks like a vast prairieland surrounded with trees. The temple was damaged by an earthquake in 1975, but was restored and has been well-maintained.

 The temple is made up of solid stone. The central point of the temple stands 165 feet tall. Surrounding the central point there are different levels with smaller towers on them which lead the eye to the peak of the temple. On the bottom layer of the stone walls there are vertical lines that seem to have been made over time by weather or wear. The central peak is supported by four statues of the Buddha that stand about 34 feet tall. There are so many forms of line in this temple. Straight vertical lines make up the shape of the main body of the temple and the smaller decorations and statues on the different platforms are formed by curvilinear lines.

Information courtesy of:
Art Beyond The West
Michael Kampen O'Riley
and the following link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda_Temple

Photograph courtesy of:
Roger Price
Flickr