Significance of white coloured stupas and temples

Going around Bagan, you will notice that while the majority of them have exposed bricks or stones, a few of them are white coloured like the 2 pictures below.




So what are the difference? Accoding to Johnny, the temples and stupas which are near a monastery, are painted by the monks to mark that there are monastery with monks near this temple/stupa. The white colour is due to the usage of limestone powder, an economical means, to paint the temple/stupa.

The public can notice from far away, and will make pilgrimage to these white coloured temples and stupas, visited the monastery, and make donations to the monks.

The richer monastery gilded the tip of the stupas with gold-leaf, to make them more stand-out.