The 99-meter bell, all covered with real gold, is what the Shwedagon Pagoda is. Myanmar’s main sanctuary is amazing from whatever side you look at. In addition to gold plates, the pagoda is decorated with thousands of rubies, sapphires and topazes, as well as 4,531 diamonds, the largest of which is the size of a walnut. The central pagoda is surrounded by many smaller pagodas, all of which glitter and shimmer in the sun – divine palaces above mundane Yangon.
Inside the Shwedagon, 8 hairs of Shakyamuni Buddha and in addition the relics of three previous Buddhas are immured. Guides help you to join the holy place: they calculate on what day of the week you were born, and show you how to properly pour water on the patron of your day. Pluses in karma are provided.
