A City Engineered for Water
The ancient capital of Mrauk U, founded in 1430, sits in a region of climate extremes. Located in Myanmar's Rakhine State, the area receives massive amounts of rainfall during the monsoon season—up to 203 inches (5,156 mm) in nearby Sittway. This is followed by a pronounced dry season. To survive and flourish, the engineers of the Mrauk U Kingdom developed a water management system that was integrated into the city's design. The system's function was to capture and store the monsoon's deluge in a network of reservoirs and canals, providing a stable water supply for a population that reached 160,000 in the 17th century.
The landscape, a series of natural hill ridges surrounded by alluvial plains and marshes, was modified. Engineers constructed moats, embankments, and dozens of reservoirs, or "tanks," which are still visible features of the landscape today. These structures had multiple purposes. They provided water for domestic use and agriculture, controlled flooding by diverting excess water, and formed a defensive barrier around the city and its palace. Monuments and fortifications were built from thick, squared sandstone blocks, giving them a fortress-like appearance well-suited to the city's defensive and water-control needs.