Buddhist religious architecture developed in the Indian subcontinent. Three types of structures are associated with the religious architecture of early Buddhism: monasteries (viharas), places to venerate relics (stupas), and shrines or prayer halls, which later came to be called temples in some places.
The Shwedagon Pagoda ; Mon: ကျာ်ဒဂုၚ်; officially named Shwedagon Zedi Daw and also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda and the Golden Pagoda is a gilded stupa located in Yangon, Myanmar.
Burmese pagodas are stupas that typically house Buddhist relics, including relics associated with Buddha. Pagodas feature prominently in Myanmar's landscape, earning the country the moniker "land of pagodas." According to 2016 statistics compiled by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, Myanmar is home to 1,479 pagodas exceeding 27 feet (8.2 m) in height, a quarter of which are located in Sagaing Region. Several cities in the country, including Mandalay and Bagan, are known for their abundance of pagodas. Pagodas are the site of seasonal pagoda festivals.
The Mahamuni Buddha Temple is a Buddhist temple and major pilgrimage site, located southwest of Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma). The Mahamuni Image is enshrined in this temple, and originally came from Arakan. It is highly venerated in Burma and central to many people's lives, as it is seen as an expression of representing the Buddha's life.
The Shwezigon Pagoda or Shwezigon Paya is a Buddhist stupa located in Nyaung-U, Myanmar. A prototype of Burmese stupas, it consists of a circular gold leaf-gilded stupa surrounded by smaller temples and shrines. Construction of the Shwezigon Pagoda began during the reign of King Anawrahta, the founder of the Pagan Empire, in 1059–1060 and was completed in 1102, during the reign of his son King Kyansittha. Over the centuries the pagoda had been damaged by many earthquakes and other natural calamities, and has been refurbished several times. In recent renovations it has been covered by more than 30,000 copper plates. However, the lowest level terraces have remained as they were.
The most important places in Buddhism are located in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of northern India and southern Nepal, in the area between New Delhi and Rajgir. This is the area where Gautama Buddha lived and taught, and the main sites connected to his life are now important places of pilgrimage for both Buddhists and Hindus. Many countries that are or were predominantly Buddhist have shrines and places which can be visited as a pilgrimage.
Phaung Daw U Pagoda, also spelt Phaung Daw Oo or Hpaung Daw Oo, is a notable Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, located in the village of Ywama on Inle Lake in Shan State. The pagoda is the site of a major annual pagoda festival during which the temple's principal Buddha images are circulated on a royal barge across Inle Lake.
The Shaitthaung Temple, also spelled Shitthaung according to Standard Burmese pronunciation, is a famous Buddhist temple in Mrauk U. The name means 'Temple of 80,000 Buddha Images', and is also known as the 'Temple of Victory'.
Kaba Aye Pagoda, formally Thiri Mingala Gaba Aye Zedidaw, သီရိမင်္ဂလာကမ္ဘာအေးစေတီတော်), is a Buddhist pagoda located on Kaba Aye Road, Mayangon Township, Yangon, Myanmar. The pagoda was built in 1952 by U Nu in preparation for the Sixth Buddhist Council that he held from 1954 to 1956. The pagoda measures 111 feet (34 m) high and is also 111 feet (34 m) around the base. The pagoda is located approximately 11 km north of Yangon, a little past the Inya Lake Hotel. The Maha Pasana Guha was built simultaneously with the Kaba Aye Pagoda and is located in the same complex. The cave is a replica of the Satta Panni cave, located in India, where the First Buddhist Synod was convened. The six entrances of The Maha Pasana Cave symbolize the Sixth Great Synod. The cave is 455 feet (139 m) long and 370 feet (110 m) wide. Inside, the assembly hall is 220 feet (67 m) long and 140 feet (43 m) wide.
Kyauktan Ye Le Pagoda (Burmese: ကျောက်တန်းရေလယ်ဘုရား, formally Kyaikhmawwun Yele Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda located in Kyauktan Township, Yangon Region, on a small island in Hmaw Wun Creek, a tributary of Yangon River. The pagoda was built with many Buddha's relics inside.
According to the Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta, after attaining parinirvana, the body of Buddha was cremated and the ashes divided among his lay followers.
Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple is the most well-known Buddhist temple in Bahan Township, Yangon, Yangon Region, Myanmar. It houses one of the most revered reclining Buddha images in the country. The Buddha image is 66 metres (217 ft) long, and one of the largest in Burma.
The architecture of Myanmar, in Southeast Asia, includes architectural styles which reflect the influence of neighboring and Western nations and modernization. The country's most prominent buildings include Buddhist pagodas, stupas and temples, British colonial buildings, and modern renovations and structures. Myanmar's traditional architecture is primarily used for worship, pilgrimage, storage of Buddhist relics, political activism and tourism.
Lingguang Temple is a Buddhist temple located on the east hillside of Mount Cuiwei (翠微山), in the Shijingshan District of Beijing. The temple is renowned for its collection of the tooth relic of the Buddha.
Nagayon Pagoda is a Buddhist temple in Amarapura, a former royal capital in Mandalay Region, Myanmar (Burma). The temple was built by Anauk Nanmadaw Ma Mya Lay, the Queen of the Western Palace during the reign of Bagyidaw, during the first half of the 1800s. The temple's exterior is known for its unusual design. The roof of the temple is draped by the naga Mucalinda, who protected the Buddha from the elements while achieving enlightenment.
Wat Zom Khum is a 15th-century Buddhist temple in Kengtung, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma). The temple's pagoda, which stands 38 metres (125 ft) high, contains six strands of the Buddha's hair.
The Myazigon Pagoda is a Buddhist temple in Taungoo, Myanmar. Built in either the 16th or 19th century, the temple contains several images of members of the Toungoo dynasty and a large sitting bronze statue of the Buddha that was captured in a Toungoo war against the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
The Settawya Pagoda is a Buddhist temple in Mingun, Myanmar. Built in the early 19th-century at the behest of King Bodawpaya Konbaung, the temple is one of several prominent pagodas in Mingun; the structure at Settawya was built during the same time as the larger-yet-uncompleted Mingun Pahtodawgyi, which was also built on the orders of Bodawpaya. The stark-white Settwaya Pagoda is located several hundred feet from the Irrawaddy River, and the temple contains a marble footprint of the Buddha.
