Shwezigon Pagoda

Shwezigon Pagoda ( King Anawrahta & Kyansittha. 11th centure) The Shwezigon Pagoda is a prototype of Burmese style stupa in Bagan, which is located in Nyaung U Township. The meaning of Shwezigon is Shwe means gold Zigon means sand bank and which is called golden sand bank. Shwezigon pagoda was enshrined replica tooth relic of Buddha. Shwezigon was built by two kings, King Anawrahta and his son King Kyansittha. The King Anawrahta, he could built only lower terraces and his son King Kyansittha completed all above level. Most of the religious monuments in Bagan were built by bricks, but the Shwezigon Pagoda was built by sand stone. According to the legend history, that sand stone were brought from Tuyin Taung which is ten miles away from Bagan. Durning that time the King Anawrahta didn't use any vehicles to carry sand stone. They just used human- change to carry sand stone from Tuyin Taung to Shwezigon Pagoda it expressed the unity of people and the power of the King. The three terraces were decorated with glazed terracotta plaques which were depicting the 550 Jataka stories about the previous lives of the Buddha.