| Type of monument |
: Brick Monastery |
| Location |
: South of Abeyadana Temple |
| Region |
: Myinkaba |
| Built by |
: Senior Queen or Lady Soe Min Gyi |
| Date |
: A.D 1204 |
| Monument Number |
: |
Named after the lady who supposedly sponsored
its construction, this typical lte Bagan brick monastery is
thought to have been completed in 1204. "So-min" is a title for
a senior queen or princess of the Bagan Period, so the monastery
and the stupa were probably donated by such a lady of high rank.
The Soe-min-gyi is a large, elaborate type of monastery, square
in plan, with a double-storeyed sanctum on the western side and
a vestibule on the east. It can also be reached easily from the
main road by climbing a small raised ground to the west. These
monasteries were built "to give a pleasant shade agreeable in
all three seasons" as recorded in a Bagan inscription.
A pagoda to the north and cave to the south are also ascribed to
Soemingyi. Soemingyi is rectangular as well as square, and has a
large central hall surrounded by cells. Square in plan, it has a
vestibule on the eastern side and a double-storeyed sanctum on
the western side. There is a small central hall, with cells
ranged along its northern and southern sides. A staircase in the
southeastern corner leads to the roof which was made of wood and
was flat. Most brick monasteries in Bagan were single block
structures. Soemingyi is unique in that it features monastic
cells clustered around a courtyard.
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