Surmounted by a classically proportioned corncob tower, the whitewashed Ananda Temple is among the most stylistically refined and impressive temples in Bagan. It is also the most revered by Burmese Buddhists. Its grand entranceways lead to  four beautiful gilded Buddhas standing in huge recesses, inter- connected by corridors that are adorned with wonderful stone  sculpture and painting. The exterior surfaces are no less sumptuously embellished, featuring bands of green­glazed terra­cotta plaques showing scenes from the Jatakas, episodes from the Buddha’s life. From afar, however, the golden spire is Ananda’s most readily identifiable feature, as spectac ular today as it was when Kyanzittha commissioned the building in 1105.