Yangon: Shwedagon Pagoda

The Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the most famous pagodas in the world and it is certainly the main attraction of Yangon, Myanmar’s capital city.
Locally known as Shwedagon Zedi Daw The, it sits atop of a hill and is 99 meters high. It can be seen from most places of Yangon day and night as the golden roof illuminates the city.
According to some, the pagoda is 2,600 years old, making Shwedagon the oldest pagoda in the world.
However, no official documents attesting its construction exist and its age is still a matter of debate.
The main gold-plated dome is topped by a stupa containing over 7,000 diamonds, rubies, topaz and sapphires, the whole giddy concoction offset by a massive emerald positioned to reflect the last rays of the setting sun.Read more