The pagoda itself is a solid brick stupa (Buddhist reliquary) that is completely covered with gold. It rises 326 feet (99 m) on a hill 168 feet (51 m) above the city.

 

 

It is believed to have been built nearly 2,600 years ago, that is, during the Buddha's life time. According to the legend of the pagoda, two trader brothers from Myanmar led a caravan of bullock-carts to India and there they came across the Buddha who had recently attained His Enlightenment or Buddhahood.

 

 

The two brothers offered honey balls and another kind of cake called Kywet kyit cake to the Buddha and received in return eight strands of the latter's hair. The two brothers and their followers joyfully returned to their native town Okkalapa which was an even older names of Yangon. The Ruler of Okkalapa who had received the wonderful news in advance welcomed the sacred hairs with great pomp and ceremony. Then the hairs were enshrined in a zedi or pagoda which was specially erected for the purpose.

 

 

The perimeter of the base of the Pagoda is 1,420 feet and its height 326 feet above the platform. The base is surrounded by 64 small pagodas with four larger, one in the center of each side. There also are 4 sphinxes, one at each corner with 6 leogryphs, 3 on each side of them. Projecting beyond the base of the Pagoda, one on the center of each side are Tazaungs in which are images of the Buddha and where offerings are made.

 

 

There are also figures of elephants crouching and men kneeling, and pedestals for offerings all around the base. In front of the 72 shrines surrounding the base of the Pagoda, you will find in several places images of lions, serpents, ogres, yogis, spirits, or Wathundari.

On the wall below the first terrace of the Pagoda at the West-Southern Ward and West-Northern Ward corners, you will see embossed figures. The former represents King Okkalapa who first built the Pagoda. The latter is a pair of figures; the one above represents Sakka who assisted in foundation of the Pagoda, and the one below, Me Lamu, consort of Sakka and mother of Okkalapa.

There are 4 entrances leading into the base of this great Shwedagon Pagoda. No one is sure what is inside. According to some legendary tales, there are flying and turning swords that never stop, which protect the pagoda from intruders; some says there are even underground tunnels that leads to Bagan and Thailand.

 

Some Interesting Spots on the Shwedagon.
 

The 10 Parts of Shwe Dagon Pagoda
• The Diamond Bud (Sein-phoo)
• The Vane
• The Crown (Htee)
• The Plantain Bud-Shaped Bulbous Spire (Hnet-pyaw-phu)
• The Ornamental Lotus Flower (Kyar-lan)
• The Embossed Bands (Bang-yit)
• The Inverted Bowl (Thabeik)
• The Bell (Khaung-laung-pon)
• The 3 Terraces (Pichayas)
• The Base