Sule Pagoda is located in the center of Yangon. at the junction of Sule Pagoda Road and Mahabandoola Road. Kyauktada Township. Yangon. Myanmar. This 48 meter (152 feet) high golden dome was used by the British as the nucleus of their grid pattern for the city when it was rebuilt in the 1880s. The pagoda’s peculiarity is its octagonal- shaped pagoda. which retains its shape as it tapers to the spire.
HISTORY
The Sule Pagoda is an excellent landmark. It is said to be over 2.000 years old. The pagoda is said to enshrine a hair of the Buddha: its Mon name. Kyaik Athok translates as “the pagoda where a Sacred Hair Relic is enshrined”. The golden pagoda is unusual in that its octagonal shape continues right up to the bell and inverted bowl. It is surrounded by small shops and all the familiar non-religious services such as of astrologists. palmists. and so on.
In the downtown area Sule Pagoda is a monument which most foreign visitors pass by unnoticed. But it is the only central piece of the capital. like the Arc de Triumph in Paris
It is the Sule Pagoda. Its legend says that Sule Pagoda marks the site where King Ukkalapa held meetings to build Shwedagon. “Su-Wei” is a Myanmar word meaning “meeting”. In course of time ‘Su-Wei’ corrupted to ‘Su-Le’ Successive town planners. King Thayawaddy. Montgomery. Fraser and others. all decided to keep Sule Pagoda as the centre piece of Yangon because of its strategic location. religious significance and artistic beauty. It can be reached through four entrances of the four stairways facing four cardinal directions or by two overhead bridges.
TRAVEL TIPS
| Opening Hours | – 4am to 10pm daily |
| Admission Fees | – US$2 per person |
| Location | – Located in the center of Yangon. at the junction of Sule Pagoda Road and Mahabandoola Road. Kyauktada Township. Yangon. Myanmar. |
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
Walking around the precinct will give you the sight of pious devotees performing deeds of religious merit as well as the view of the surroundings – the lofty Independence Pillar in the Maha Bandoola Park. the Immanuel Church. the mosque nearby. the imposing City Hall of Myanmar architectural design. the High Court Buildings of colonial style. and major thoroughfares from different directions making a circuit around Sule Pagoda hillock. Sule Pagoda provides a commanding position to enjoy the cityscape and to watch city life go by. The Sule Pagoda. situated in the center of Yangon. is right beside the Myanmar Travel and Tours office.
