Yangon

The most notable building in Yangon is the Shwe Dagon Pagoda, a great cone-shaped Buddhist monument that crowns a hill about one mile north of the Cantonment. The pagoda itself is a solid brick stupa (Buddhist reliquary) that is completely covered with gold. It rises 326 feet (99 m) on a hill 168 feet (51 m) above the city. The perimeter of the base of the Pagoda is 1,420 fee and its height 326 feet above the platform. The base is surrounded by 64 small pagodas with four larger, one in the center of each side.

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.

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.

The Botahtaung Pagoda is located on the Botahtaung Paya Road, which was named after the Pagoda. It is situated way downtown beside the Yangon River. The Pagoda overlooked the pleasant water front of the river. 

The Botataung Pagoda was named after the thousand military leaders who escorted relics of the Buddha brought from India over two thousand years ago. The meaning of Bo is "leader" and tahtaung is "a thousand" . It was built almost in the same time as Sule Pagoda and Shwedagon Pagoda over, 2500 years ago. The name of the pagoda was originally Kyaik-de-att, which was a Mon name, or Sandaw Shin as it is enshrined with the sacred hair of the Lord Buddha.

Built in 1954 in dedication to the 1954-56 Sixth Buddhist Council. This 111-feet-high pagoda measures 34 meters around the base.

This reclining Buddha image is one of the largest images in Myanmar. The original image was built in 1907. But it was suffered damage due to climate over the years. In 1957 it was demolished and rebuilt to this structure in 1966. Similar ones are Ngar Htat Kyee Buddha (5-Storey-High Buddha) and Koe Htat Kyi Buddha (9-Storey-High Buddha).The Nga-Htat-Kyi Pagoda is just across the street.

Lawka Chanthar Arbayar Laba Muni Buddha Image craved from the one piece of white is marble rock was done in year 2000 CE, which is flawless and of hight quality measuring 37 feet long, 24 feet wide and 11 feet thick was found at Sakyin Hill, Madaya Township, Mandalay Division. This huge Image is now at Mindhamma Hill, Insein Township, Yangon Division.

Carving began at the original location of the stone. Then roughly curved imaged was moved to Yangon. It was then carved to become the largest stone buddha image. In 2003, the huge marble alms bowl was carved out of a monolithic sagyin marble and brought to Yangon and placed on Minn Dhamma Hill.

Within the walking distance from Minn Dhamma Hill, there is an Elephant house where the three white elephants is kept. In many asian countries including Myanmar, white elephant is regarded as a supreme royal ornament.

The National Museum of Myanmar was founded in 1952 with its premises at what was once the Jubilee Hall. In 1970 the museum was moved to a more spacious building on Pansodan Street. But these premises were not originally constructed to house a museum. The present National Museum is located on Pyay Road in a splendid five-storey building constructed for the purpose in spacious and specially landscaped grounds.

Priceless ancient artifacts, works of art and historic memorabilia are on display in 14 halls on four storeys. Three halls on the ground floor hold exhibits on the evolution the Myanmar script and alphabet, the Lion Throne Room and Ratanapon Period pieces.