Shwedagon Paya in Yangon, Myanmar - Buddhist Temples and Public Shrines on Waymarking.com

The legend tells of two merchant brothers who met the Buddha who gave them eight of his hairs to take back to be enshrined in Burma. The golden dome (stupa) rises 98 meters above its base. The banana bud of the zedi (bell shaped monument) is covered by no less than 13,153 plates of gold measuring 30sq cm each where as the rest of the zedi is covered in gold leaf. By 1995 it had accumulated 53 metric tonnes of gold leaf. The topmost vane is gold and silver plated and studded with 1100 diamonds totalling 278 carats and 1383 other stones. At the very topo f the vane rests the diamond orb, a hollow golden sphere studded with no less than 4351 diamonds, weghing 1800 carats in total. Legend claims this monument is 2500 years old but archeologists suggest the original stupa was built sometime between the 6th and 10th centuries. The site now encompasses a series of devotional structures all around it and many covered access ways where vendors sell flowers and other religious items for the pilgrims who visit the temple. There is a visitors center for locals and international visitors and there is a small charge to get to the pagoda site.

Open to visitors?: Yes Photography Permitted Inside?: Yes Statue of the Buddha present?: Yes Related Website: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
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Photos of the shrine are strongly encouraged when permitted otherwise please refrain from taking pictures inside and in any case, generally have respect for the religious nature of the site.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   05/19/2013 Lachlan1.77 visited it 03/24/2013 Maruffel visited it 07/16/2011 sassainfl visited it

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