Following the sacking of Thaton, King Anawrahta is said to have carted off some 30 elephant-loads of Buddhist scriptures in 1058 and built this library (just northeast of Shwegugyi) to house them. The square design follows the basic early Bagan gu (cave temple) plan, perfect for the preservation of light-sensitive palm-leaf scriptures. It’s notable for the perforated stone windows, each carved from single stone slabs, and the plaster carvings on the roof, which imitate Myanmar woodcarvings.
