Dagon Township
Encyclopedia
Dagon Township 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.
Dagon is home to some of the most prominent places of the city, including the great Shwedagon Pagoda, the Maha Wiziya Pagoda, the National Museum
and the National Theatre
. 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.
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.
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
. The township comprises five wards, and shares borders with Bahan township
Bahan Township
Bahan Township is located in the north central part of Yangon. The township comprises 22 wards, and shares borders with Yankin township and Mayangon township in the north, Sanchaung township and Kamayut township in the west, Tamwe township in the east, and Dagon township and Mingala Taungnyunt...
in the north, Ahlon township
Ahlon Township
Ahlon Township is located in the western part of Yangon. The township comprises eleven wards, and shares borders with Sanchaung township and Kyimyindaing township in the north, the Yangon river in the west, Dagon township in the east, and Lanmadaw township in the south...
in the west, Mingala Taungnyunt township in the east, and Lanmadaw township
Lanmadaw Township
Lanmadaw Township is located in the western part of downtown Yangon, and shares borders with Ahlon township in the west, Latha township in the east, Seikkan township and Yangon river in the south, and Dagon township in the north. It consists of twelve wards and is home to five primary schools, two...
, Latha township
Latha Township
Latha Township is located in the western part of downtown Yangon, and shares borders with Lanmadaw township in the west, Pabedan township in the east, Seikkan township and Yangon river in the south, and Dagon township in the north. It consists of ten wards and is home to three primary schools, one...
and Pabedan township
Pabedan Township
Pabedan Township is located in the center of downtown Yangon, Myanmar. The township is home to Bogyoke Aung San Market and Theingyi Market, two of the largest shopping centers in all of Yangon...
in the south.
Dagon is home to some of the most prominent places of the city, including the great Shwedagon Pagoda, the Maha Wiziya Pagoda, the National Museum
National Museum of Myanmar
The National Museum of Myanmar, , located in Dagon, Yangon, is the main museum of Burmese art, history and culture in Myanmar. Founded in 1952, the five-story museum has an extensive collection of ancient artifacts, ornaments, works of art, inscriptions and historic memorabilia, related to history,...
and the National Theatre
Yangon National Theatre
The National Theatre of Yangon, located in Yangon, is a national theatre of Myanmar. The theatre is used for cultural exchange programs with foreign countries, for departmental workshops, religious ceremonies, prize giving ceremonies, performing arts competitions, and for musical stage...
. 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.
History
Dagon was a small fishing village founded by the MonMon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
in the 6th century, CE, around the Shwedagon Pagoda. Throughout much of the history, the village was just in the periphery of Thanlyin
Thanlyin
Thanlyin is a major port city of Myanmar, located across Bago River from the city of Yangon. Thanlyin Township comprises 17 quarters and 28 village tracts. It is home to the largest port in the country, Thilawa port.-History:...
(Syriam), the commercial city located across the Yangon river
Yangon River
The Yangon River is formed by the confluence of the Pegu and Myitmaka rivers and is a marine estuary that runs from Yangon emptying into the Gulf of Martaban of the Andaman Sea...
. Still, because of the pagoda, Dagon's cultural significance was far greater than its size. In 1755, King Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya was king of Burma from 1752 to 1760, and the founder of the Konbaung Dynasty. By his death in 1760, the former chief of a small village in Upper Burma had reunified all of Burma, subdued Manipur, recovered Lan Na, and driven out the French and the English who had given help to the...
captured the village, renamed it Yangon (most commonly translated as "End of Strife"), and founded a larger city by adding settlements such as Ahlon
Ahlon Township
Ahlon Township is located in the western part of Yangon. The township comprises eleven wards, and shares borders with Sanchaung township and Kyimyindaing township in the north, the Yangon river in the west, Dagon township in the east, and Lanmadaw township in the south...
, Pabedan
Pabedan Township
Pabedan Township is located in the center of downtown Yangon, Myanmar. The township is home to Bogyoke Aung San Market and Theingyi Market, two of the largest shopping centers in all of Yangon...
, Kyauktada
Kyauktada Township
Kyauktada Township is the center of downtown Yangon, Myanmar. The township consists of nine wards, and shares borders with Botataung township in the east, Seikkan township and Yangon river in the south, Pabedan township in the west and Mingala Taungnyunt township in the north.The township is home...
, 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.| 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 Wiziya 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 | 6 Ziwaka Lane |