Shwezigon pagoda pagoda, pagan, myanmar britannica. The stupa fell into disrepair until the 14th century, when the mon king binnya u of bago had the stupa rebuilt to a height of 18 m 59 ft. History of the shwedagon pagoda according to archaeologists and scholars, the shwedagon pagoda was built by the mon people, an ethnic group from myanmar. The pagoda, or stupa, typically forming the nucleus of a temple, is the focal point for making merit, which is customarily done through donations towards its renovation and the maintenance of ritual life in and around. Elevators and wheelchairs are available at the southern entrance of the pagoda. Getting into myanmars largest city is easier than ever before. According to some historians and archaeologists, however, the pagoda was built by the mon people between the 6th and 10th centuries ce. The shwedagon pagoda history is associated to a legendary story about journey of two brothers. Spectacular 2,500 years old shwedagon pagoda in myanmar. There are flights from surrounding countries but yangon is easily accessible from bangkok by bus as well. According to legend, king okkalapa of suwannabhumi, a kingdom covering the area around present day yangon, was meditating on singuttara hill when the newly enlightened buddha appeared to him. History seems a bit sketchy as to when building began on the pagoda but it was fully visible and well known by the 11th century. Some see the lower, middle and upper levels as the buddha, the teachings dhamma and the monkhood sangha respectively. The pagoda itself is a solid brick stupa buddhist reliquary that is completely covered with gold.
Shwedagon pagoda, rangoon, myanmar burma in 1586, an english man, ralph fitch, visited the great pagoda and had the following to reportit is called dogonne, and it is of a wonderful bignesse, and all gilded from the foot to the toppe. The pagoda itself is built entirely out of wood obtained from the xingan larch trees that were found in abundance in northern china. The shwedagon pagoda, also called the golden pagoda, is found in yangon, myanmar, just west of the kandawgyi lake on the singuttara hill. Find all the transport options for your trip from shwedagon pagoda to yangon airport rgn right here. Discover shwedagon pagoda in yangon, myanmar burma.
Journey to shwedagon pagoda along with faithful buddhist practitioners, who visit to honor the relics of previous buddhas. The shwezigon pagoda, regarded as the prototype of all the stupas in myanmar, is a cylindrical buddhist temple situated in the burmese town of nyaungu near the ancient city of bagan. Find highquality shwedagon pagoda stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. Images of the four heavenly kings in unified silla as the symbol of. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often buddhist but sometimes taoist, and were often located in or near viharas. It is evident that, over the centuries, the shwedagon pagoda has survived difficult times. Countless smaller zeidis and pavilions tazaung crowd the platform of the pagoda.
History of pagodas history of chinese civilization. Other articles where shwezigon pagoda is discussed. Grounds for protest placing shwedagon pagoda in colonial. Rome2rio is a doortodoor travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world.
The shwedagon pagoda is open seven days a week from 4 a. Whether or not the shwedagon pagoda is a wonder is a question that can be discussed but what is not open to discussion is the fact the it is a wonderful place to be. Mandalay is rich in many historical sites, religious edifices and cultural memories. When you look at the sakyamuni pagoda from outside, it appears to be a 5 storeyed structure. Nine wonders of the shwedagon pagoda for educational purpose only. Shwedagon pagoda published by will on january 30, 2018. Even when yangon may have seemed to be a city of politics after the third angloburmese war 1886. Horyuji pagoda, nara prefecture, japan, first built in. This video is uploaded for the sake of improvement of.
This gemencrusted temple is said to contain some of the buddhas hair which can make the deaf hear and the blind see. Pdf the shwedagon pagoda and the zenith passage of the sun. The pagoda is erected on a stone platform measuring 4 metres in height. Ancient pagodas, such as the stocky songyue pagoda, the upright woodent pagoda in yingxian county, the grand giant wild goose pagoda, the elegant dingzhou pagoda, the simple three pagodas in dali and others. The pagoda is home to ancient buddhist statues, shrines, scripture, and relics. Few berks countians alive today can recall a reading without a pagoda. The history of the city of yangon travels on two tracks. A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to china, japan, korea, vietnam, nepal, myanmar and other parts of asia. Myanmarburma travel guide temples of bagan approach guides. About shwedagon pagoda no visit to the union of myanmar is complete without a visit to the 2,500 years old shwedagon pagoda, which enshrines strands of buddhas hair and other holy relics.
Visit shwedagon pagoda on your trip to yangon rangoon or. This unity in diversity campaign reaches from the rewriting of history books to the. Rome2rio makes travelling from shwedagon pagoda to yangon airport rgn easy. This thesis uses the examples of the shwedagon pagoda and the mandalay. The shwedagon pagoda according to legend, the shwedagon pagoda has existed for more than 2,600 years, making it the oldest historical pagoda in burma and the world.
The shwedagon pagoda is located in the city of in yangon aka rangoon which used to be the capital of myanmar until 2006. According to tradition, two merchant brothers, taphussa and bhallika, from the land of ramanya, met the lord gautama buddha during his lifetime and received eight of the buddhas. It is traditionally believed that the pagoda is 2600 years old, but archaeologists have determined. Some hug the base of the central stupa while others are in reote corners of the platform on top of singuttara hill. Others think of the whole stupa as the buddha in a seating position, with the umbrella hti at its top being its head.
Shwe dagon pagoda pagoda, yangon, myanmar britannica. Pdf historiography, iconography and political legitimation in. The shwedagon pagoda was first built around 2500 years ago, though the exact date is unknown. The pagodas of myanmar are tangible, physical expressions of the vast accumulations of merit burmese. Other articles where shwe dagon pagoda is discussed. The shwedagon pagoda is the most important shrine in myanmar. Since then the pagoda has been owned, loved and cared for by the citizens and city of reading. Shwedagon pagoda and other religious sites in yangon go. The pagoda contains important buddhist relics including hairs of gautama buddha himself. Shwedagon pagoda pictures, yangon, burma a brief history of the shwedagon pagoda. Your hotel will most likely arrange a taxi for you to the shwedagon pagoda. Shwedagon pagoda history the tradition concerning the founding of the shwedagon, as contained in the hmannan mahayazawindawgyi the great glass palace chronicle which was compiled in the early 1830s by a royal commission composed of learned monks, brahmins and lay scholars, goes thus. Atms and moneychangers are located at various points within the grounds of the shwedagon.
Singuttara hill and overlooking the city, this incredibly sacred place has witnessed myanmars dynamic, everchanging history over the course of an estimated 2,500 years. Located west of the royal lake on 114 acre singuttara hill in yangon, shwedagon pagoda is the most sacred and impressive buddhist site for the people of the. The pagoda is about 1 hour away from hanoi old quarter, making it easy for a morning trip off the city noise. Grounds for protest placing shwedagon pagoda in colonial and postcolonial history.
The amount of gold covering the pagoda is the subject of some speculation. The easiest way to get to the shwedagon pagoda from downtown is by taxi k2,500. This wheel booklet offers a short history of buddhism in. This pagoda is the earliest reference to what is now known as the shwedagon pagoda source. It was compiled in the early 1830s by a royal commission composed of learned monks, brahmins and lay scholars.
History of burma, and now that i have his typescript before me. It was rebuilt several times and reached its current height of 99 m 325 ft in the 18th century. The community identifies so strongly with the structure that it. It features a circular gilded stupa encircled by smaller shrines and temples. As it is told, there were two brothers who were able to meet guatama buddha and were given 8. Dau pagoda, located in thuan thanh district, bac ninh province, is considered the oldest buddhist pagoda in vietnam according to researchers. Tradition dictates that it has stood for over 2,600 years, although historians approximate that. The pagoda traces its origins to the stupa of ancient india in some countries, the term may refer to other religious structures.
During its history the shwedagon pagoda has been rebuilt on several occasions. The shwezigon is a huge, terraced pyramid, square below, circular above, crowned by a bellshaped stupa of traditional mon shape and adorned with stairways, gates, and decorative spires. Francis buchanan,whoaccompaniedcolonelsymesonhis missiontoava,remarkedthatthehistoriesofthe. The shwedagon pagoda is the living presence of the buddha. Shwedagon pagoda pictures of burmas most sacred site. The statues behind the shwe yin myaw pagoda and mount hpapu. The sun sets behind the shwedagon pagoda in yangon. It has withstood earthquakes, invasions, pillaging, foreign occupation and an internal stairwell fire in 1931 that destroyed many ancient monuments. The tip of the stupa, far too high for the human eye to discern in any detail, is set with 5448 diamonds, 2317 rubies, sapphires, and other gems, 1065 golden bells and, at the very top, a single 76carat diamond. For a small donation, footwear can be dropped off on the way up to the main platform. The shwedagon is the most sacred buddhist pagoda in myanmar, as it is believed to contain relics of the four previous buddhas of the present kalpa. Locally known as shwedagon zedi daw the, it sits atop of a hill and is 99 meters high. The pagoda is located on singuttara hill which is west of the royal kandawgyi lake. Shwedagon pagoda known as golden pagoda burmese buddha.
History of pagodas explains the development of pagodas in china, which originated in india and came to china with the spread of buddhism. Shwedagon pagoda yangon, myanmar burma atlas obscura. Built in the early bagan period on an open plain, this pagoda inspires faith even today, bringing joy to the hearts of monks and laymen alike as they behold its brilliant golden color. Not only is the structure said to be the oldest buddhist stupa in the world but it also contains. In this book i am writing extensively and detailed about the shwedagon pagoda including its history. Bagan, the ancient buddhist capital in central myanmar burma that thrived. By 1910 the pagoda and surrounding 10 acres were deeded to local business owner, jonathon mould and his wife, julia bell. Shwezigon pagoda is located in the town of nyaung oo four miles to the northeast of the ancient city of bagan. The golden glow of its main stupa is an unforgettable sight, its smooth curves rising high into the rich blue of the tropical sky. Shwedagon pagoda road leads to the south entrance, and along with the north entrance, are the two locations where new lifts have been installed, added for those not feeling up to hiking the long stairways. These relics include the staff of kakusandha, the water filter of ko. Located in yangon, the spectacular shwedagon pagoda is believed by buddhists to be around 2,500 years old and is the most sacred site for the buddhist population of myanmar. Shwedagon pagoda stock pictures, royaltyfree photos. The shrine traces its roots back more than 2,500 years.
The shwedagon pagoda, also known as the great dagon pagoda or the golden pagoda, is a gilded stupa situated on singuttara hill, in yangon, myanmar. Communal water coolers are available around the pagoda, but you may want to bring your own water. Ive now added the dates for the following pagodas, temples and stupas to put them more into perspective the origins of what you view as pagodas might be similar in shape to the following. Singuttara hill, on which the shwedagon pagoda is built, was considered sacred ground even back then. The west entrance is the least used and has the least number of shops due to the difficult access by vehicles. The perimeter of the base of the pagoda is 1,420 fee and its height 326 feet above the platform. The shwedagon has endured severe natural disasters, military occupation, been. The entrance fee for foreigners is k10,000, and there are many guides in the area who will tell you more of the pagodas history.
This golden stupa, or pagoda, ranks among the holiest religious sites in myanmar. The pagoda by michelle nicholl lynch rising 886 feet above the city of reading, the pagoda, that odd, enigmatic, yet well loved structure atop mount penn has been a familiar fixture since 1908. There are a lot of legends about this pagoda as well as academic history, and visitors can learn more detail within the pagoda compound and photo gallery on the platform. The shwedagon pagoda is one of the most famous pagodas in the world and it is certainly the main attraction of yangon, myanmars capital city. Credits and s goes to original creators and owners. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. Kuthodaw pagoda, famed as the worlds largest book since entire buddhist.
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