Schwedagon Pagoda, Yangon
Schwedagon Pagoda, known in Burmese as Shwedagon Zedi Daw, “the great golden pagoda”, is the most sacred Buddhist site in Myanmar and one of the most magnificent religious monuments in Southeast Asia. Rising 98 metres above Singuttara Hill in central Yangon, the central stupa is plated in gold and topped with a hti (umbrella) encrusted with thousands of diamonds and rubies. Pilgrims circle the Schwedagon Pagoda platform clockwise from dawn to well past midnight, seven days a week.
The gilded summit of Shwedagon Pagoda, covered in more than 8,000 gold plates.
History
Tradition holds that Shwedagon enshrines eight strands of the Buddha’s hair, making it the only stupa in Myanmar believed to contain relics from all four Buddhas of the present world cycle. The original structure dates to between 600 BCE and 600 CE depending on the source, what is certain is that the Mon rulers of lower Burma heavily patronised and expanded it from the 14th century onward. King Dhammazedi’s 1485 inscription records a major gilding; subsequent rebuilds after earthquakes in 1564 and 1769 brought the stupa to its current height.
Visiting Shwedagon
The main entrance is from the southern stairway on U Wisara Road, though four covered walkways lead up from each cardinal direction. Foreigners pay an 8,000 kyat admission fee; the ticket is checked at the base of the stairs. Remove shoes and socks before ascending, this applies to the entire pagoda platform. The site is vast: dozens of subsidiary shrines, prayer pavilions, and smaller stupas surround the central spire, each with its own planetary post, spirit house, or reclining Buddha. Dress modestly: knees and shoulders covered.
Best time: Early morning (5:30-7:00) for golden light and meditative atmosphere, or evening for the illuminations. The platform becomes very busy during Buddhist holidays.
How to get there: Taxi from central Yangon, ~15-20 minutes. Alternatively, circle bus 43 or 51 stops on U Wisara Road.
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Yangon. It’s a unique place, and looking back, I actually visited when Aung San Suu Kyi was still under house arrest. However, the Shwedagon Pagoda is an absolute masterpiece, honestly one of the most beautiful temples you’ll ever see. It easily ranks among my worldwide favorites, right alongside Angkor Wat, Wat Rong Khun, Prasat Phanom Rung, the Forbidden City, Taipei’s Mengjia Longshan Temple, and the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu.