Dagon Township

Dagon Township
ဒဂုံ မြို့နယ်
Township of Yangon
Dagon Township

Dagon Township
Coordinates: 16°46′51″N 96°8′59″E / 16.78083°N 96.14972°E / 16.78083; 96.14972Coordinates: 16°46′51″N 96°8′59″E / 16.78083°N 96.14972°E / 16.78083; 96.14972
Country Myanmar
Division Yangon
City Yangon
Township Dagon
Area
 • Total 12 km2 (4.5 sq mi)
Population (2000)
 • Total 38,200
 • Density 3,300/km2 (8,500/sq mi)
Time zone MST (UTC6:30)
Postal codes 11191
Area code(s) 1 (mobile: 80, 99)
YCDC[1]

Dagon Township (Burmese: ဒဂုံ မြို့နယ် [dəɡòʊɴ mjo̰nɛ̀]) is located immediately north of downtown Yangon. The township comprises five wards, and shares borders with Bahan township in the north, Ahlon township in the west, Mingala Taungnyunt township in the east, and Lanmadaw township, Latha township and Pabedan township in the south.[1]

Dagon is home to some of the most prominent places of the city, including the great Shwedagon Pagoda, the Maha Wizaya Pagoda, the National Museum, the National Theatre and the Yangon Region Hluttaw (Parliament).[2] This propsperous neighborhood boasts many hotels, embassies and diplomatic residences. The township's Dagon 1 High School and Dagon 2 High School are considered among the top public high schools in the country.

On 6 February 2011, the Taw Win Centre, a major shopping and residential complex, was opened in the township.[3] Construction on the 25-story complex began in 2004, but was stopped during the country's banking crisis, before resuming in March 2008.[4] The country's first 3D movie theater opened at the Taw Win Centre on 1 March 2012.[5] In June 2011, the Sitagu Sayadaw opened the Yangon campus of the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy in Dagon Township.[6]

History

Dagon (Mon: လဂုင် [ləɡòʊɴ]) was a small fishing village founded by the Mon in the 6th century, CE, around the Shwedagon Pagoda. Throughout much of the history, the village was just in the periphery of Thanlyin (Syriam), the commercial city located across the Yangon river. Still, because of the pagoda, Dagon's cultural significance was far greater than its size. In 1755, King Alaungpaya captured the village, renamed it Yangon (most commonly translated as "End of Strife"), and founded a larger city by adding settlements such as Ahlon, Pabedan, Kyauktada, and Botataung.

During the British colonial period, Dagon was mostly a prosperous neighborhood, though the areas closer to downtown were full of squatters. Dagon boasted both the Methodist English High School, one of the top English-language medium schools and the nationalist Burmese language medium high school, Myoma High School.

In the 1950s, the Burmese government cleared the squatters in the southern part of the township, and built the Minmanaing Housing Project for senior civil servants. Dagon gained another prominent pagoda in the 1980s, when Gen. Ne Win commissioned the Maha Wiziya Pagoda.

Landmarks

The following landmarks in Dagon township are protected by the city.[7]

Structure Type Address Notes
BEHS 1 Dagon School 57 Alanpyapaya Road Former Methodist English High School
BEHS 2 Dagon School 353 Myoma Kyaung Lane Former Myoma High School
Department of Public Health Laboratory Health clinic 35 Mawgundaik Lane
Diplomatic Residence Compound Housing 82 Pyidaungzu Yeiktha Avenue (Corner of Pyay Road)
Eindawya Pagoda Pagoda Myoma Kyaung Lane
India House Office 35 Diplomat Avenue
Kyargu Monastery Monastery 49 Shwedagon Pagoda Road
Maha Wizaya Pagoda Pagoda Shwedagon Pagoda Road
Methodist English Church Church 65 Alanpyapaya Road
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office 37 Diplomat Avenue
National Archives Department Office 114 Pyidaungzu Yeiktha Avenue
St. Gabriel’s Church Church 64 Shwedagon Pagoda Road
St. John’s Catholic Church Church 25 Mawgundaik Lane (Corner of Shwedagon Pagoda Road)
Sein Yaungchi Pagoda Pagoda Shwedagon Pagoda Road
Shwedagon Pagoda Pagoda Shwedagon Pagoda Road
Yahanda Ordination Hall Temple Shwedagon Pagoda Road
Zafar Shah Darga Shrine 6 Ziwaka Lane

References

  1. 1 2 "Dagon Township". Yangon City Development Committee. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  2. ↑ San Oo (16 May 2011). "Meet the press: hints of change as Yangon govt calls weekly conference". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  3. ↑ Kyaw Hsu Mon (21 March 2011). "South Korean alleged to have absconded with $50,000". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  4. ↑ "Work to resume on Taw Win Complex". Myanmar Times. 25 February 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  5. ↑ Zon Pann Pwint (5 March 2012). "New 3D Cineplex opens in Yangon". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  6. ↑ Thein, Cherry (20 June 2011). "Sitagu opens Yangon academy". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Special Reports: Heritage List". The Myanmar Times. 2001-10-29.
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