Discover Myanmar's Marvel: The World's Largest Marble Book

https://www.ihadnoclue.com/article/982248168623669249

The Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay, Myanmar, is renowned as the "world's largest book," consisting of 729 marble slabs inscribed with Theravada Buddhist teachings from the Tripitaka (Pali Canon). Commissioned by King Mindon Min in 1857, this remarkable monument spans 13 acres and features a 57-meter gold-gilded pagoda. Unlike conventional texts on palm leaves or parchment, the king chose durable marble to ensure these sacred writings would endure for centuries. The project took eight years, with artisans meticulously carving the texts on both sides of each slab. Beyond its physical grandeur, the pagoda represents spiritual resilience and cultural preservation, having survived the British annexation of Upper Burma in the late 19th century when many other sites were looted. Today, it serves as a religious site for pilgrims and a testament to Buddhism's enduring wisdom and philosophical teachings.