If King Bodawpaya had succeeded in his grandiose scheme, Mingun might now boast the world's largest zedi. Thousands of slaves laboured to build the massive stupa beginning in 1790. Work halted in 1819 when Bodawpaya died, leaving a brick base that stands about a third of its intended height. An earthquake split the monument in 1838 and reduced it to partial rubble. The base of his projected stupa, badly cracked by the earthquake, stands 50 meters high overlooking the river. Each side of the enormous base measures 72 meters, and the lowest terrace measures 140 meters. There are projecting four-layer lintels over the porticoes on each of the four sides. Beautiful glazed tiles in brown, cream and green were intended to be set in panels around the terrace.