Mandalay - Being the last capital of Burmese kings, it is understandably the cultural capital of Myanmar. It was built by King Mindon of Konboun Dynesty in 1859 AD, and was ruled by two kings until its fall under British rule in 1885 (officially in 1st january 1886), during the reign of King Thibaw, the last king of Burma. Although no longer the capital of Myanmar, it is the second largest city in Myanmar, and still considered teh cultural center of Myanmar. Despite its dwindling number, hundreds of Myanmar traditional artists, sculptors, liquor ware artists, bronzesmiths and tapestry artists still live and work in Mandalay, practising their family trade, producing the best of Myanmar arts and crafts. Mahamuni, the most sacred Buddha Image in Myanmar is in Mandalay, as well as the famous stone inscription of Tri-pitaka at the base of Mandalay Hill.