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Kipling called it 'a golden mystery... a beautiful winking wonder'. As the setting sun casts its last rays on the soft orange dome of the great Schwedagon Paya you can feel the magic in the air. In the heat of the day the stupa glitters bright gold. It can be quiet and comtemplative with people praying around the paya or pretty crowded. For Burmese the 'Golden Dagon', located in the nothern part of Yangon- the capital, is the most sacred of all buddhist sites in the country, one which all Burmese hope to visit in their lifetime. A few facts and figures: the current stupa dates from the 18th century, though the site is undoubtly much older; there are over 8000 gold plates covering the monument; the top of the spire is encrusted with more than 5000 diamonds and 2000 other precious or semiprecious stones; and the compound around the pagoda has 82 other buildings- it is a sheer mass of buildings that give the palace its awesome appeal. Want to now more details about its history or design ? | ||