Mandalay was the last royal city before Myanmar was colonised by Britain in 1885. While the scale of King Mindon’s ambition for the walled citadel is clear from first glance, the whole magnificent palace complex was devastated during World War II. That said, the moat, palace walls with city gates and wooden pavilions give an imposing and evocative impression of the royal era. Within the palace grounds there is a museum and replica model of Mandalay Palace. Still considered the centre of Burmese culture, Mandalay is the economic hub of Upper Myanmar and this thriving city is the second largest in the country.