The Tharaba Gate is the only surviving remnant of the old city wall that once enclosed the heart of Bagan. It dates from the 9th century and is built from brick, flanked by two guardian shrines containing the Min Mahagiri nat spirits — protective deities who, by tradition, were installed here when the city was founded.
The gate stands on the eastern side of Old Bagan and is easy to miss if you are focused on the larger temples. But it is worth stopping for: the niches still receive offerings, and the contrast between the ancient brickwork and the flat plain beyond gives some sense of what the walled city once looked like. Local vendors set up nearby in the mornings.