Layout of the Stupa

Four staircases approximately arranged according to the cardinal points extend from the foot of the mountain to the stupa. From these stairs, the other levels of the area can also be reached. The distance from the main stupa has significance in terms of the types of buildings which are constructed. The furthest away are factories where religious items are produced. Monasteries and prayer halls are located on the first three terraces. On the fourth platform surrounding the main pagoda are pavilions, shrines and smaller stupas.

It is difficult to determine exactly how many shrines and pavilions are located on the grounds of the Shwedagon Pagoda. This is due to the fact that the layout is subject to constant changes, as new shrines can be added and old ones removed. It is also the explanation why the structures hardly resemble each other and are partially covered by other, newer ones. None of the pavilions date back prior to 1860. The sites are used by the devotees for many purposes. Among other things, they are utilized for meditation and prayers, but also during festivals or to hold rituals in groups. In addition, these sites also house important cultural and religious relics such as statues or paintings.

However, the construction of the stupa is not without significance. There are different interpretations for it, although it is commonly agreed that it represents the Buddhist idea of the universe. The stupa stands on a three-tiered platform made of stone with terracotta tiles covering it. The entire stupa is coated with a total of up to 27 tons of gold. This practice began in the 15th century when Queen Shin Sawbu donated her body weight in gold. Due to exposure to the weather, the gold has to be reapplied periodically, with the layers increasing in accordance to the stupa's height.

Located above this is the bell-shaped body. This dome-like structure symbolizes the similarly shaped sky. The Conical Spire represents the earth’s axis which rises to the cosmos. Another interpretation depicts the hti, an umbrella-like structure at the top of the spire, as the Buddha's head with the rest of the stupa being the body in a seated position. In 1871, the hti had to be replaced, and in a five-day ceremony the new one, consisting of seven metal rings and weighing a total of 1.4 tons, was lifted into place. It was replaced again in 1999 by a stainless steel design, but the 2,300 rubies, 5,400 diamonds and 1,065 golden bells were reincorporated into the new hti. The sound of the bells in the hti is clearly audible to visitors. On the top of the Diamond Bud is a 76 carat diamond.