The large temple complex contains many other beautiful and interesting structures. The Naungdawgyi Pagoda where only men are allowed to go is the place where according to legend the hair relics of the Buddha were placed before they were enshrined in the main stupa.
A prayer hall contains a 8 meter long Reclining Buddha image.
The Bell Pavilion houses a 23 tons heavy bell cast in the second half of the 18thcentury. Another pavilion contains a 9 meter high sitting Buddha image wearing a golden robe.
A very attractive pagoda which resembles the Mahabodhi temple in India is decorated with very colorful Buddhist depictions.
The Arakanese Prayer Pavilion has very fine wood carvings, while another pavilion contains murals with scenes from the Jataka tales, the previous lives of the Buddha.
A great number of intricately decorated pavilions with multi tiered roofs called Pyatthat and several Tazaungs, a Burmese temple pavilion enshrining Buddha images are dotted around the complex.
While the oldest original structure of the Shwedagon is what is within the main stupa, the oldest dated structure is the Dhammazedi inscription. This tablet written in Burmese, Mon and ancient Pali language on the pagoda platform dated 1485 contains information about the history of the Golden Pagoda.
According to legend two Burmese brothers met the Buddha not long after he had reached enlightenment. The Buddha gave the brothers eight of his hairs and told them to enshrine the hair relics on Singuttara Hill, where relics of the three previous Buddhas had already been enshrined. The brothers returned to Burma and gave the Buddha’s hair relics to the King. The spot where the relics of previous Buddhas were enshrined was found. At that spot a relic chamber was built and a Pagoda was built over it.
Mahabodhi shrine