A major earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, 2025, claiming thousands of lives and causing extensive damage across the Southeast Asian nation. Amidst the devastation, new fissures in the earth revealed long-buried ruins near Inwa, where the Burmese imperial capital of Ratnapura Ava stood from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Initial excavations on what experts believe are the remains of a Konbaung Dynasty water palace began earlier this week.
Earthquake Reveals Ruins of Burmese Palace
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks caused subsidence cracks and deep fissures across central Myanmar. In the town of Inwa—located near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city—the earthquake damage revealed previously unknown ruins. Archaeologists believe these ruins may have once been a water palace, or another water-related structure, for royal ceremonies held by Burmese kings.
Small parts of the larger structure were first spotted by local residents in 2009 and subsequently studied by Myanmar’s Department of Archaeology and National Museum. The March earthquake revealed several additional elements of what turned out to be a monumental temple, including foundational structures and stairways. Archaeologists also found evidence of pavilions that may match illustrations recorded in historic palm-leaf manuscripts.
The History of Burma’s Konbaung Dynasty
The Konbaung Dynasty, also known as the Third Burmese Empire, ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. It built the second-largest empire in Burmese history. It was also the last dynasty to rule Burma before it was annexed by the British Empire. In 1885, British forces defeated the Burmese following the decades-long Anglo-Burmese Wars. Burma gained independence from Britain in 1948, and the country’s official English name was changed to Myanmar in 1989.
The Burmese imperial capital of Ratnapura Ava—or the “City of Gems”—was sacked and rebuilt several times over the centuries. It was abandoned for good after a series of major earthquakes in 1839. The newly discovered ruins of the once-great capital’s water palace will be excavated and preserved. Myanmar’s Department of Archaeology and National Museum, which operates under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, also announced plans to make the site accessible to the public.
