Sule Pagoda

The Sule Pagoda, an excellent landmark, is located at the very heart of downtown Yangon. This ancient shrine is said to be over 2000 years old and older than the Shwedagon Pagoda. Its Mon name, Kyaik Athok translates as “the pagoda where a Sacred Hair Relic is enshrined” as it is enshrining the hair of the Buddha. Sule Pagoda is located in the downtown area which is the intersection of Mahabandoola Road and Sule Pagoda Road, more specifically in the center of the traffic circle where these two major roads circle a roundabout. Sule Pagoda can be reached through four entrances of the four stairways facing four cardinal directions or by two overhead bridges. It has an octagonal shape that continues right up to the bell and inverted bowl. It’s a classic layout: the octagonal stupa is in the center, surrounded by shrines which are then surrounded by an octagonal walkway. That walkway is then surrounded by more shrines, temples and bells. For the souvenirs, Sule Pagoda is surrounded by small shops and all the familiar non-religious services such as astrologists, palmists and so on.