Taung Kalat – Buddhist monastery which is perched on top of Volconao Mount Popa.

Taung Kalat is a Buddhist monastery which is perched on top of Mount Popa – a volcano which rises up to a height of 1,518 meters. Situated in central Burma, almost 50 km from the medieval city of Bagan, Mount Popa is one of the most prominent pilgrimage sites of the country where thousands of pilgrims and tourists flock each year to see the Nat temples and numerous relic sites on this volcanic mountain top. It can be seen from a distance of 60 km on a sunny day and the mountain looks like a gigantic, rock castle with a pretty monastery nestled on its top. The name Mount Popa is derived from the Sanskrit/Pali term ‘Puppa’ which means “flower”, while the term ‘Taung Kalat’ means “Pedestal Hill”.