Page 75 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

Midtown Yangon Yangon and around 73
northern Lift Stairway 1
17
northern

naungdawgyi
10 9 11 Pagoda
14
7
12 13 15 16
8
Museum
F
F H
gautama
d Buddha
5
6
a
E
Kakusandha
Kassapa Buddha Eastern
Western Buddha Main Stupa Stairway
Stairway
a
E
Eastern Lift
4
B
18
g
N C C
Konagamana
1 Buddha 19
2
3
0 25 Stairway Southern
metres
SHWEdagon Pagoda Southern
Lift
KEYS PLanETarY PoSTS
1 Solid jade Buddha 9 Chanthargyi Buddha 17 Dhammazedi Inscription a Monday
2 Sun–Moon Buddha 10 Shinsawbu Buddha 18 Child-clutching Brahma statue B Tuesday
3 Commemorative column 11 Photo gallery 19 Replica of the Shwedagon C Wednesday
4 Rakhaing Tazaung 12 Sacred Hair Relic Washing Well d Rahu
5 Buddha’s Tooth replica 13 Mahabodhi Pagoda E Thursday
6 King Okkalapa statue 14 Shin Izzagona Buddha F Friday
7 Bell of King Singu 15 Pyidawpyan Buddha g Saturday
8 Wish-fulfilling Place 16 King Tharyarwady’s Bell H Sunday
Brief history
According to local legend, the Shwedagon dates back to around 588 BC, making it the
oldest stupa in Myanmar, if not the world – although more likely it was originally built
by the Mon between the sixth and tenth centuries. Mon king Binnya U of Bago (ruled
1348–84) had the stupa raised to a height of 18m, but the temple only really started
taking shape a century later under Queen Shinsawbu (reigned 1453–72), who had the
height of the stupa doubled to 40m and also laid out the terrace around the stupa and

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