Built by King Nantaungmya (r.1211-34) in the 12th century CE, the Mahabodhi temple in Bagan was modeled after the famous Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, Bihar State, India, which commemorates the spot where the Buddha attained enlightenment.

Bagan's pagoda features a pyramidal spire, covered in niches which enclose seated Buddha figures, rising from a square block. This monument is different from the common bell-shaped ones in Bagan. The lower section of Bagan's Mahabodhi is a quadrangular block supporting the pyramidal structure. The temple was destroyed during the 1975 earthquake, and was repaired in the following years.