Martyrs' Mausoleum

Yangon

LoginSave

This striking mausoleum houses the remains of General Aung San and the six comrades who were assassinated on 19 July 1947. The Soviet-style, red-painted concrete complex, surrounded by beautifully manicured grounds, was fully renovated in 2016 in time for Martyrs' Day, the first to be celebrated by a government led by Aung San's daughter.

The original timber mausoleum was destroyed after a North Korean terrorist strike here in 1983, which killed 20 people (but not the target, visiting South Korean general Chun Doo-Hwan). To the right of the entrance to the mausoleum, look for the smaller Korean Martyrs' Memorial (free) commemorating those who died in the attack.

On Martyrs' Day (19 July) entry to the mausoleum is free.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • The reflection of Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar

    Shwedagon Paya

    0.32 MILES

    One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…

  • Myanmar, Burma, Yangon, Rangoon, Kandawgyi Lake, Shwedagon Pagoda

    Kandawgyi Lake

    1.33 MILES

    Also known as Royal Lake, this artificial lake built by the British as a reservoir is most attractive at sunset, when the glittering Shwedagon Paya is…

  • The statue of Statue of King Anawratha and the exterior of National Museum of Myanmar.

    National Museum (Yangon)

    1.02 MILES

    Even though the museum's collection is poorly labelled and often badly lit, the treasures that lie within this cavernous building deserve a viewing. The…

  • Chaukhtatgyi Paya, reclining Buddha in Yangon, Myanmar.

    Chaukhtatgyi Paya

    1.24 MILES

    Housed in a large metal-roofed shed, this beautiful 215ft-long reclining buddha is larger than a similar and better-known image in Bago. The statue's…

  • Secretariat

    Secretariat

    2.23 MILES

    After many years of being off limits, this spectacular red-brick complex, which takes up a 16-acre block and was once the British seat of government for…

  • The Budda sculpture in Ngahtatgyi Paya, Yangon, Myanmar.

    Ngahtatgyi Paya

    1.12 MILES

    One of Yangon's, if not Myanmar's, most gorgeous buddha images is this 46ft-tall one at the Ngahtatgyi Paya, sitting in calm gold-and-white repose and…

  • Meilamu Paya

    Meilamu Paya

    5.61 MILES

    Situated next to the Nga Moe Yeik creek, this Disneyland-ish pagoda is a hoot. Larger-than-life 3D stucco depictions of the Buddha's life and practice…

  • Stupa at Botataung Paya.

    Botataung Paya

    2.85 MILES

    Botataung’s spacious riverfront location and lack of crowds give it a more down-to-earth spiritual feeling than Shwedagon. Its most original feature is…

View more attractions

Nearby Yangon attractions

1. Shwedagon Paya Museum

0.26 MILES

Accessed from the west side of Shwedagon's main terrace is this small museum which is chock-full of buddha statues and religious ornaments. Look for the…

2. Shwedagon Paya

0.32 MILES

One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…

3. Resistance Park

0.33 MILES

Sectioned off from neighbouring People's Park is this former parade ground. It's a pleasant place for a stroll, with great views of Shwedagon Paya. When…

4. People's Park

0.38 MILES

Notable for its splendid views of the western side of Shwedagon Paya, this well-tended park offers plenty of pleasant features, such as flower gardens and…

5. Maha Wizaya Zedi

0.59 MILES

This well-proportioned zedi (stupa), built on General Ne Win's orders in the early 1980s to commemorate the unification of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar,…

6. U Thant Mausoleum

0.68 MILES

U Thant, the former UN Secretary General and one of the most respected 20th-century Burmese statesmen, is buried here. A chapter in The River of Lost…

7. Suphayalat's Mausoleum

0.7 MILES

This traditional-style multitiered construction contains the tomb of Burma’s last queen, Suphayalat (1859–1925). Having been exiled to India with her…

8. U Thant House

0.72 MILES

One of Myanmar's most respected international politicians, U Thant was UN Secretary General from 1961 to 1971. When his grandson, Thant Myint-U,…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "myanmar-burma/yangon-rangoon/attractions/martyrs-mausoleum/a/poi-sig/1401202/357104",
  "destination": "Yangon",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "Myanmar-(Burma)",
  "city": "Yangon",
  "position": "superzone"
}