Shwemawdaw Pagoda
ရွှေမောဓောဘုရား
The golden main stupa of Bago, about 114 meters tall and the tallest pagoda in Myanmar. An old spire toppled by an earthquake remains beside it.
Shwemawdaw Pagoda is said to have been built more than 1,000 years ago and enshrines relics of the Buddha's hair and tooth. It was damaged and rebuilt many times after earthquakes. After restoration in 1954, it stands about 114 meters tall, the tallest pagoda in Myanmar. At one corner of the base is the old spire that fell in the 1917 earthquake, which is preserved and venerated by worshippers. Bago was once the capital of the Mon Hanthawaddy Kingdom. It lies about 80 km from Yangon, roughly a 2-hour drive, making it Yangon's classic day trip. Bago's sights usually share a combined ticket (about 10,000 kyat), and you must go barefoot.
Opening hours
About 05:00–21:00
Nearby sights
- Kanbawzathadi Palace
- Shwethalyaung Buddha
- Kyaik Pun Pagoda
- Taukkyan War Cemetery
- Kaba Aye Pagoda
- Inya Lake
- Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple
- Ngahtatgyi Buddha