Maha Wizaya Zedi

Yangon

LoginSave

This well-proportioned zedi (stupa), built on General Ne Win's orders in the early 1980s to commemorate the unification of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar, is connected by a pedestrian bridge to the southern gateway to Shwedagon Paya.

The zedi is hollow, its inside decorated with a forest of fake trees and a beautiful blue dome showing star constellations.

The king of Nepal contributed sacred relics for the zedi relic chamber and General Ne Win had it topped with an 11-level hti (pinnacle) – two more levels than the hti at Shwedagon.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • The reflection of Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar

    Shwedagon Paya

    0.27 MILES

    One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…

  • The statue of Statue of King Anawratha and the exterior of National Museum of Myanmar.

    National Museum (Yangon)

    0.76 MILES

    Even though the museum's collection is poorly labelled and often badly lit, the treasures that lie within this cavernous building deserve a viewing. The…

  • Chaukhtatgyi Paya, reclining Buddha in Yangon, Myanmar.

    Chaukhtatgyi Paya

    1.39 MILES

    Housed in a large metal-roofed shed, this beautiful 215ft-long reclining buddha is larger than a similar and better-known image in Bago. The statue's…

  • Secretariat

    Secretariat

    1.64 MILES

    After many years of being off limits, this spectacular red-brick complex, which takes up a 16-acre block and was once the British seat of government for…

  • The Budda sculpture in Ngahtatgyi Paya, Yangon, Myanmar.

    Ngahtatgyi Paya

    1.26 MILES

    One of Yangon's, if not Myanmar's, most gorgeous buddha images is this 46ft-tall one at the Ngahtatgyi Paya, sitting in calm gold-and-white repose and…

  • Meilamu Paya

    Meilamu Paya

    6.12 MILES

    Situated next to the Nga Moe Yeik creek, this Disneyland-ish pagoda is a hoot. Larger-than-life 3D stucco depictions of the Buddha's life and practice…

  • Myanmar, Burma, Yangon, Rangoon, Kandawgyi Lake, Shwedagon Pagoda

    Kandawgyi Lake

    0.95 MILES

    Also known as Royal Lake, this artificial lake built by the British as a reservoir is most attractive at sunset, when the glittering Shwedagon Paya is…

  • Sule pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar.

    Sule Paya

    1.49 MILES

    Not many cities have a primary traffic circle occupied by a 2200-year-old golden temple. This 46m zedi (stupa), said to be older than Shwedagon Paya, is…

View more attractions

Nearby Yangon attractions

1. U Thant Mausoleum

0.12 MILES

U Thant, the former UN Secretary General and one of the most respected 20th-century Burmese statesmen, is buried here. A chapter in The River of Lost…

2. Suphayalat's Mausoleum

0.14 MILES

This traditional-style multitiered construction contains the tomb of Burma’s last queen, Suphayalat (1859–1925). Having been exiled to India with her…

3. Daw Khin Kyi Mausoleum

0.16 MILES

Here lies Aung San’s widow and Aung San Suu Kyi's mother Daw Khin Kyi. Her funeral in 1989 was attended by more than 100,000 and was a galvanising moment…

4. Thakin Kodaw Hmaing Mausoleum

0.18 MILES

The tomb of one of Myanmar's most celebrated poets and public intellectuals is the furthest away from Shwedagon Paya in the quartet of mausoleums here…

5. Shwedagon Paya

0.27 MILES

One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…

6. Shwedagon Paya Museum

0.35 MILES

Accessed from the west side of Shwedagon's main terrace is this small museum which is chock-full of buddha statues and religious ornaments. Look for the…

7. Dargah of Bahadur Shah Zafar

0.39 MILES

Covered in silks and strewn with sweet-smelling petals, the mausoleum of India's last Mughal emperor is a place of pilgrimage for Indians, Muslims and…

8. Yangon Zoological Gardens

0.51 MILES

The prime reason for visiting Yangon's 1901-vintage zoo, covering 58 acres, is to take a rest in its leafy grounds and view handsome architectural…