Mandalay, Myanmar

Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar. It was the capital of the Konbaung Dynasty that ruled Burma from the 18th to the 19th century. After the Konbaung Dynasty fell in 1885, the country became a British colony. Independence was eventually restored in 1948. Mandalay has grown as a commercial and distribution hub in the central region of the country. A Buddhist city, the massive 2 kilometers square palace in the city center is surrounded by many temples and monasteries.