This most holy of Burmese pagodas has relics from 3 Buddha's and 8 hairs from the last Buddha enshrined within.  It stands on a platform on Singuttare Hill, one of Myanmar's most holy places.  Nobody knows how old it is but it was well established by the 11th century.    The hill was levelled off in the 15th century when Queen Shinsawpu donated her weight in gold to embellish the stupa with gold leaf.  Her successor contributed four times his weight and the faithful have been plating and gilding it ever since

The main platform can be reach via four stairways.   At this entrance we could have used the elevator but opted to climb the stairs.  The Western entrance has a flight of escalators designed for foreign visitors.   The climb is well worth the effort as the covered walkways are crowded with vendors selling flowers, both real and beautifully fashioned paper offerings, incense, ceremonial umbrellas, Buddha images, monks robes, prayer beads and, tourist souvenirs.  Beside the covered walkway is a parallel flight of steps also flanked with vendors but these are geared to a more serious monastic clientele

Towards the top of the 104 steps we paid our $5 entrance and nominal camera fees, placed our proof of payment sticker prominently on our shirts and stepped from the cool dark entrance onto the glorious glittering platform.  In the words of Somerset Maugham

"The Shwe Dagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write"

The main stupa was completely covered in bamboo scaffolding, it was being stripped, the old metal plates being replaced with new and refurbish ones.  Eventually Shewdagon would be Shwe again.    The work was carried out by inmates from Insein Prison