| Type of monument | Type III Temple (Mixture of Indian style Gu) |
| Location | Southeast of Wetkyi-In Village |
| Region | Nyaung U & Wetkyi-In |
| Built by | King Kyansitthar |
| Date | Early 13th Century |
| Monument Number | 298/ 197 A |
Gubyaukgyi-Wetkyi-inn (298/ 197 A)(ဂူပြောက်ကြီး-ဝက်ကြီးအင်း)
Judging by its architectural style and frescoe design, it is opined that the monument belongs to the early 13th century A.D.
There are two Gu Byauk Kyis and two Gu Byauk Nges in Bagan. One Gu Byauk Kyi is near Myinkaba village and the other is near Wet Kyi Inn village.
Wet Kyi Inn Gu Byauk Kyi takes the model of Maha Bodhi, with a sikhara, double vaulted halls and a spiral stair. It laces east.
The temple is famous for its frescoes and stucco works. On the ceiling of its devotional hall are pictures of Buddha’s loot prints. On the upper reaches of the northern and southern walls are frescoes depicting Gotama Buddha receiving divine prophesy from the earlier Buddhas, with captions in ink inscription. Below them are pictures with captions in ink inscription, presenting scenes from 550 Jatakas (Buddha’s birth stories). Between these scenes are pictures of the seven places where the Buddha sojourned for seven days each just after enlightenment, the eight scenes from the life of the Buddha and the Buddha’s eight glorious victories. They are rare old paintings of Bagan Period. Ceremonies of merit making events of the time are also depicted in the frescoes. On either side of the big Buddha Image painted on the southern wall are the pictures of Mara warriors on march and in flight. They are in good condition.
The frescoes on the northern and southern walls of the devotional hall were sawed out and taken away by a foreigner Dr. Thomann in 1899. Only some escaped his vandalism. Some scars of sawing and pieces of newspaper he used still remain.
Gubyaukgyi-Wetkyi-in (Google Map)
Reference Books:
Glimpse of Glorious Bagan, Universities Historical Research Centre, Yangon, Myanmar, The University Press, 1996
Pictorial Guide to Pagan, Ministry of Culture, Yangon, Myanmar, The Printing and Publish Corporation, Reprint 1975
The Pagodas and Monuments of Bagan, Vol. 1, Translated by Dr Khin Maung Nyunt, Ministry of Information, Yangon, Myanmar, Graphic Training Centre (G.T.C), 1995
The Pagodas and Monuments of Bagan , Vol. 2, English Text by Dr Khin Maung Nyunt, Ministry of Information, Yangon, Myanmar, Graphic Training Centre (G.T.C), 1998
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