The Shwedagon is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, as it is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa. These relics include the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Koṇāgamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa, and eight strands of hair from the head of Gautama.

Built on the 51-meter high Singuttara Hill, the 112 m tall pagoda stands 170 m above sea level and dominates the Yangon skyline. Yangon’s zoning regulations, which cap the maximum height of buildings to 127 meters above sea level (75% of the pagoda’s sea level height), ensure the Shwedagon’s prominence in the city’s skyline. It’s completely covered in gold plating.

The gold seen on the stupa is made of genuine gold plates, covering the brick structure and attached by traditional rivets. People all over the country, as well as successive monarchs, starting from Queen Shin Saw Pu, have donated gold to the pagoda to maintain it. There are four entrances, each leading up a flight of steps to the platform on Singuttara Hill. A pair of giant leogryphs guards each entrance. The eastern and southern approaches have vendors selling books, good luck charms, images of the Buddha, candles, gold leaves, incense sticks, prayer flags, streamers, miniature umbrellas, and flowers.

According to tradition, the Shwedagon Pagoda was constructed more than 2,500 years ago, which would make it the oldest Buddhist stupa in the world. The Buddhist shrine has been rebuilt many times through wars and invasions.

According to Wikipedia