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Myanmar > Places & Sights > Yangon (Rangoon)
After King Alaungpaya (the founder of the Kon-Baung Dynasty) conquered the village Dagon in 1755, he renamed it to Yangon, meaning 'end of strife'. The village's strategic location in fact warranted a total victory over Lower Myanmar.
In 1851 the town was annexed by Britain and subsequently re-founded. The new city was designed and constructed in a chequerboard fashion, with the roads running north-south and east-west. It's architect was the same Lieutenant Fraser who also designed Singapore.
Nowadays, it is a bustling city of some 5 million inhabitants, covering an area of over 570 square kilometers. It is the country's administrative and economical center.
In November 2005, there were disturbing news that the military junta has clandestinely moved the seat of power away from Yangon to a WW2 jungle post named Pyinmana and thus away from foreign eyes and influence.
Bogyoke Aung San Market