All that glitters isn’t gold. Except that in the case of the Shwesandaw Pagoda, it is.
And yes, you heard right. We’re not talking about the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in bustling Yangon. We’re talking about the even taller Shwesandaw Pagoda in the country town of Pyay (it’s three feet higher than the Shwedagon).
And it’s mighty striking.
The pagoda is said to date back to 589 BC and contain four strands of the Buddha’s hair — hence its name “Shwesandaw,” meaning the “golden hair relics.”
There are 64 smaller pagodas surrounding the main bell-shaped stupa, which rises from a terraced base.
To reach the pagoda’s platform, we took an elevator up. And from the back side of the pagoda, we had wonderful views of the imposing Sehtatgyi Buddha (literally “10-storey Buddha”) rising up over the treeline opposite.
The Shwesandaw was the first gold pagoda we toured in Myanmar (Burma). And it caused our jaws to drop.
While the following pictures don’t capture the sheer size and scale of the place, you can get a good idea of one of Myanmar’s most important pilgrimage sites:
The Shwesandaw Pagoda is three feet taller than the more famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon (which is over 300 feet high)
Numerous side halls surround the pagoda, housing different large Buddha statues like these
Perched on a hilltop, the pagoda’s gilded bell-shaped stupa sits on a base of square terraces
There were few other visitors at the Shwesandaw Pagoda (no international tourists)
From the Shwesandaw Pagoda, we saw the 10-storey Buddha looking back at us
Monks wait to take the elevator back down from the Shwesandaw Pagoda — this and lead photo by Recliner
A ramp leads from the top of the elevator to the base of the Shwesandaw Pagoda
Have you seen any of Myanmar’s golden pagodas? Which one is your favorite?
Original Post > sandinmysuitcase.com
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