# Mrauk U

> archaeologically and culturally important town in Rakhine State, Myanmar

**Wikidata**: [Q1951490](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1951490)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrauk_U)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mrauk-u

## Summary
Mrauk U is an archaeologically and culturally important town located in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Historically, it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Mrauk U from 1430 until 1785. It is currently classified as both a city and a town in Myanmar, situated within Mrauk-U Township.

## Key Facts
- **Location:** Mrauk-U Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar
- **Coordinates:** 20.59° N, 93.1925° E
- **Time Zone:** UTC+06:30
- **Historical Capital Status:** Capital of the Kingdom of Mrauk U (1430–1785)
- **Heritage Designation:** Tentative World Heritage Site (listed October 4, 1996) as "Myauk-U Archaeological Area and Monuments"
- **World Heritage Criteria:** (i), (iii), (iv), (vi)
- **Classifications:** Instance of a city and a town in Myanmar
- **Sitelink Count:** 28
- **Wikipedia Languages:** blk, ca, commons, de, en, es, fr, id, it, ja, km, ko, ml, my, pl, pt, rki, ru, shn, sv, ta, th, zh

## FAQs
**What is the historical significance of Mrauk U?**
Mrauk U was the capital of the Kingdom of Mrauk U for 355 years, beginning in 1430 and ending in 1785.

**Has Mrauk U been designated as a World Heritage Site?**
It is currently a Tentative World Heritage Site, inscribed on October 4, 1996, under the name "Myauk-U Archaeological Area and Monuments."

**Where is Mrauk U located?**
The town is situated in Mrauk-U Township within Rakhine State, Myanmar, at coordinates 20.59° latitude and 93.1925° longitude.

**What are the alternative names for Mrauk U?**
The town is known by several aliases, including Mrauk-U, Myohaung, Mrohaung, ミャウウー (Japanese), 谬杭 and 謬杭 (Chinese), and Мраук У or Мраук-У (Russian).

**Which World Heritage criteria apply to Mrauk U?**
The tentative listing satisfies criteria (i), (iii), (iv), and (vi), representing a masterpiece of human creative genius, bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition, being an outstanding example of a type of building or architectural ensemble, and being directly associated with events or living traditions.

## Why It Matters
Mrauk U holds substantial importance as a center of archaeological and cultural heritage in Myanmar. Its historical role as the capital of a kingdom for over three centuries highlights its political and strategic relevance in Southeast Asian history. The town's recognition as a Tentative World Heritage Site underscores its global value, specifically for its architectural and monumental achievements that meet multiple UNESCO criteria. The preservation of its archaeological area and monuments provides critical insight into the region's past civilizations and cultural evolution.

## Notable For
- Serving as the seat of the Kingdom of Mrauk U for more than 350 years.
- Possessing a "Tentative World Heritage Site" status with four distinct UNESCO cultural criteria.
- Having a broad international digital presence with Wikipedia entries in 21 different languages.
- Being cataloged in numerous global academic and library databases, including VIAF, the Great Russian Encyclopedia, and the National Library of Israel.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Mrauk U is situated in the northern part of Rakhine State, specifically within Mrauk-U Township. The geographic coordinates for the town are 20.59° latitude and 93.1925° longitude. The region operates within the UTC+06:30 time zone. As a large human settlement, it is classified both as a general city and specifically as a town in Myanmar.

### Historical Significance
The town's most prominent historical role was serving as the capital of the Kingdom of Mrauk U. This period began in 1430 and continued until 1785, spanning a duration of significant political and cultural development in the region. This long tenure as a capital city established the foundation for the numerous archaeological monuments and cultural artifacts found in the area today.

### Heritage and Cultural Status
Mrauk U is recognized internationally for its cultural value. It was added to the Tentative World Heritage List on October 4, 1996, under the official designation "Myauk-U Archaeological Area and Monuments." The site is evaluated against four World Heritage criteria:
- (i): To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.
- (iii): To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.
- (iv): To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.
- (vi): To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.

Its tentative list identification number is 824.

### Global Presence and Digital Identifiers
The entity maintains a robust presence across various information platforms and databases. It is associated with 28 sitelinks and has a dedicated page banner and image hosted on Wikimedia Commons.

**External Identifiers and Database Entries:**
- **VIAF ID:** 153705665
- **SNARC ID:** 1432
- **Freebase ID:** /m/07tf3r
- **Namuwiki ID:** 므락우
- **Yale Lux ID:** place/a4ebb2ca-76bf-4f1a-9a36-ea310d314c70
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID:** 987007564791305171
- **Treccani's Dizionario di Storia ID:** mrauk-u (2010)
- **Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017):** 2235614

**Linguistic Reach:**
Information regarding Mrauk U is available in 21 languages on Wikipedia, including: blk, ca, commons, de, en, es, fr, id, it, ja, km, ko, ml, my, pl, pt, rki, ru, shn, sv, ta, th, and zh.

### Nomenclature
The town is referred to by various names across different languages and historical contexts. The primary aliases include Mrauk-U, Myohaung, and Mrohaung. In East Asian scripts, it is written as ミャウウー (Japanese) and 谬杭 or 謬杭 (Chinese). In Cyrillic scripts, the variations are Мраук У and Мраук-У. The official Wikipedia title is "Mrauk U," and the corresponding category on Wikimedia Commons is "Mrauk U."

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File