Myanmar, the hidden gem of Asia has tonnes of attractions to offer: from internationally renowned sites such as diving in the Myeik Archipelago to nature adventures at Chin state, and historical expeditions at Sagaing. However, there is still a gem that can be called the true gem of Myanmar – the Werawsana Pagoda.

Werawsana Pagoda in Mandalay is the first jade pagoda in the world. Built entirely out of jade, this pagoda offers a breathtaking sight to visitors to the area with its jewels glimmering in various shades of green. It is certainly unique and one will not be able to find another pagoda similar to this.

An impressive 75-foot high and with a circumference of 176 feet, each terrace is about 12 feet high topped with a 7-foot umbrella and 8-foot banana bud. To add to the wonders of this pagoda, it was built to be sturdy enough to withstand an earthquake up to 6.59 on the Richter scale. Bricks were not used in the construction of the pagoda, only jade stones that were collected over a period of 25 years from donors who contributed their jade for the construction. As a result, the pagoda you see today is made up of a combination of A, B, C, and D-grade jade stones, all thanks to the generous locals who willingly gave away their jade for the creation of this amazing pagoda.

Work on the monumental structure began in 2012 and didn’t finish until 2015. Even before construction started, a jewelry trader named U Soe Naing spent about 25 years collecting and stockpiling all the jade. He had to gather over 11,000 tons of stones to build the pagoda.

According to the Internet