Mahamuni Buddha

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The Mahamuni Buddha, (lit. The Great Sage) also known as the Maha Myat Muni Phaya, Rakhine Phaya, Phayagyi, is a major Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mandalay, Myanmar. The Buddha statue was brought from Rakhine State in 1784 by King Bodawpaya as spoils of war. It is 4 metres high, and the statue is made of bronze, weighing 6.5 tonnes. Gold leaf is regularly applied to the face of the Mahamuni Buddha, and monks wash the face and teeth of the image each morning. The Buddha is housed under a pagoda built in the 1800s. Adjacent to the Buddha is the Mahamuni Museum, which contains displays of Buddhism throughout Asia.