Shwezigon
Shwezigon is one of the most significant buildings of Bagan. It is located in the town of Nyaung Oo (or Nyaung U) four miles to the northeast of the ancient city of Bagan. The Shwezigon Paya was built in the 11th century by King Anawrahta (r. 1044-77), a recent convert to Theravada Buddhism. Anawrahta was Theravada Buddhism's first major advocate in Myanmar and the first of the great builders of Bagan. The king had completed three terraces of the Paya when he was killed by a wild buffalo in 1077 and was completed between 1086 and 1090 by King Kyanzittha (r. 1084-1113), Anawrahta’s successor.
Shwezigon Paya is enclosed by an outer wall, about 750 feet on each side, which is pierced by four gates. There are many other shrines, stupas and structures within the wall, some of which have been recently added. It is 160 feet high and 160 feet wide at the base. Earthquakes and other natural phenomena have taken their toll over the centuries and the Shewsigon pagoda has been often repaired. notably by King Bayinnaung in the late 16th century and the devastating earthquake of 1975 caused extensive damage that necessitated repairs to the top of the dome and the spire. One prominent feature that is not original is the more than 30,000 copper plates that cover the pagoda, donated by local, national and international visitors to Shwezigon. And the entire structure was gilded in 1983-84 and more recently. But the lower part of the stupa and terraces remain largely as originally constructed in the 11th century.
Because of the pagoda's great religious significance for Burmese Buddhism, the Shwezigon Festival in November/December attracts pilgrims from throughout Myanmar.
Nine remarkable features of the Shwezigon Pagoda
- Even though its umbrella is massive, it is not held in place with iron cables.
- The great pagoda's shadow never falls outside its boundary walls regardless of the time of day.
- The paper used in applying gold leaf when dropped from the upper lotus on the spire never drifts outside the boundary wall.
- However many people come to visit the pagoda, it is never becomes crowded inside the boundary wall.
- During the festival celebrated on the full-moon day of Tansaungmon, a rice offering will always have been made to the pagoda before anyone arrives.
- The sound of a drum beaten on one side of the pagoda cannot be heard from the other side.
- From a distance the pagoda appears to be standing on a hill.
- However much it rains, water does not accumulate in the courtyard of the pagoda.
- The khya-ya (medlar) tree at the south-east corner of the pagoda stays in bloom all year round.