The Mingun temple is a monumental uncompleted stupa began by King Bodawpaya in 1790 . It was not completed , due to an astrologer claiming that , once the temple was finished , the king would die . The completed stupa would have been the largest in the world at 150 meters . Huge cracks are visible on the structure from the earthquake of 23 March 1839 . Along the Irrawady river . Mingun . Sagaing Division . Burma . Republic of the Union of Myanmar .