Ground Plan of the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, 1800s

This rare and finely executed Dutch engraving titled “Grondteekening van den Sjoemadoe Praw” (“Ground Plan of the Shwemawdaw Pagoda”) offers a precise architectural layout of one of Burma’s most important religious monuments. Created circa 1800, this plan accompanied a series of prints based on European travel accounts such as that of Michael Symes, the British envoy to the Burmese court in 1795. The map presents a detailed bird’s-eye view of the sacred complex at Pegu (modern-day Bago), with the central stupa of the Shwemawdaw dominating the circular enclosure. The pagoda is surrounded by meticulously rendered features: entrance gates, stairways, shrines, walls, guardian figures, and other monastic structures. The four cardinal directions are marked, and the layout is carefully labeled with alphabetical references. At the bottom of the sheet, a comprehensive **“Uitlegging”** (Explanation) provides a key to 18 architectural and ritual features, including: * A: The central pagoda with its massive bell-shaped form * B–C: Altar stairs and inner enclosures * F–H: Shrines, altars, and the statues of gods * L: Lion-shaped guardians at the base * N: Small golden shrines placed around the terrace * QQ: Open shrines accessible to pilgrims

The plan not only reveals the structure’s grandeur and organization but also demonstrates the European fascination with documenting and rationalizing foreign religious architecture using Enlightenment methods of geometry and surveying. Such a detailed drawing would have greatly appealed to European readers and collectors interested in Eastern architecture, religion, and imperial geography.

Condition: Good condition with a strong plate impression. Original folds as issued. Slight toning along folds and edges, minor creasing, and one small paper edge loss at lower left (not affecting the image or text). Full margins preserved.