The capital city was finally abandoned after it was destroyed by a series of major earthquakes in March 1839.

Though only a few traces of its former grandeur remain today, the former capital is a popular day-trip tourist destination from Mandalay.

Inwa was officially founded on 26 February 1365 (6th waxing of Tabaung 726 ME)[5] on a man-made island created by connecting the Irrawaddy on the north and the Myitnge on the east with a canal on the south and the west.

Instead, the zigzagged outer walls are popularly thought to outline the figure of a seated lion – the Burmese Chinthe.

[10] During the reign of Swa Saw Ke, a council was convened at Ava which was attended by the King, members of the Sangha, Sinhalese monks, and Brahmins.

[8] In one inscription the city was said to be as pleasant as Tavatimsa, the most important of the Buddhist heavens which also served as the model for the earthly realm of Burmese kingdoms.

[11] Swa Saw Ke was known as an intellectual king who encouraged scholarly endeavours and the city was said to be full of intelligent conversation.

Over a century later, on 25 March 1527, the city finally fell to the repeated attacks by the Confederation of Shan States and the Prome Kingdom.

The city was the base from which kings Nyaungyan and Anaukpetlun restored the kingdom which had temporarily disintegrated in December 1599.

King Hsinbyushin began the reconstruction of the city in March 1764, and moved the capital back to a newly rebuilt Ava on 23 July 1765.

Tourists can still observe a few remnants of the capital, including Nanmadaw Me Nu Ok Kyaung, the Nanmyin Tower, the inner and outer brick city walls, etc.