Shwezigon Pagoda and the golden terraces of Bagan
Published on 08/18/2026 at 15:01 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan is a golden Buddhist stupa from the eleventh century, raised under King Anawrahta and completed under King Kyansittha as a landmark of the Pagan Empire. Set near the Irrawaddy River at Nyaung U, the pagoda’s gilded terraces and enclosed courtyards frame one of Myanmar’s most influential temple complexes.
Gold, terraces and the bell-shaped stupa
The core of Shwezigon Pagoda is a gilded stupa in a bell-like profile, rising from stepped brick terraces that form a strong horizontal base. This central structure, clad in gold-coloured metal plates, catches the light above a square platform laid out with shrines and halls.The gilded stupa dominates the complex and sets the template for many later pagodas across Myanmar.
The terraces beneath the stupa are built of brick and lined in places with glazed reliefs that depict scenes from the Jataka stories, the previous lives of the Buddha.These terracotta plaques repeat in bands around the base, so that a circuit of the platform becomes a walk past a sequence of narrative panels. Around the terraces stand structures such as a prayer hall and smaller stupas, which echo the main tower’s gilded finish on a reduced scale.
An eleventh-century royal foundation
Construction of Shwezigon Pagoda began in the mid-eleventh century, during the reign of King Anawrahta, who ruled Pagan from 1044 to 1077 and established the Pagan Empire.Work on the pagoda started around 1059, and the project passed to his successor King Kyansittha, who completed the monument in the early twelfth century, around 1102.
The site stands in Nyaung U within the wider Bagan archaeological zone, which preserves hundreds of temples and stupas from the Pagan period.Shwezigon’s eleventh-century date makes it one of the earlier large stupas in this landscape, and its completed form under Kyansittha shows the fully developed Burmese bell-shaped profile that later monuments adapt and repeat.
Nats, relics and the surrounding precinct
Within the precinct around the main stupa stand shrines dedicated to the thirty-seven official nats, pre-Buddhist spirits that the Burmese monarchy endorsed alongside Theravada Buddhism.Shwezigon Pagoda is known as the place where these spirits were formally acknowledged, and the nat figures appear in a dedicated building within the complex.
The stupa itself functions as a reliquary, enshrining sacred relics associated with the Buddha.Tradition holds that it contains relics such as a frontal bone and a tooth, as well as a copy of the famed tooth relic from Kandy in Sri Lanka. The name Shwezigon combines words for “gold” and “sandbank”, recalling the sandy ground near the Irrawaddy River where the pagoda stands.
Visiting Shwezigon Pagoda: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Shwezigon Pagoda stands in Nyaung U at the northern edge of the Bagan plain, and is reached from Bagan’s main hotel zones by road vehicles such as taxis and local buses.
- The complex is paved and enclosed by a wall with entrance gateways, and within the enclosure visitors move across hard surfaces and shallow steps between courtyards and shrines.
- The Irrawaddy River flows to the west of the site, and a visit can be combined with exploring other Bagan temples spread across the surrounding plain.
- The official language is Burmese and the currency is the Myanmar kyat. Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Shwezigon Pagoda
Where is Shwezigon Pagoda located?
Shwezigon Pagoda stands in Nyaung U, a town on the edge of the Bagan archaeological zone in central Myanmar, near the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River.
What can visitors expect when exploring the complex?
Visitors encounter a gilded central stupa on stepped terraces, surrounded by enclosed courtyards, shrines, halls and nat images, all arranged within a walled rectangular precinct.
What makes Shwezigon Pagoda distinctive among Bagan’s temples?
Shwezigon Pagoda combines an early eleventh-century royal foundation, a fully developed Burmese bell-shaped stupa form and formal shrines to the thirty-seven nats within the same complex.
