Shwegugyi Temple, Bagan

Shwegugyi Temple


Shwegugyi Temple is an ancient Burmese Buddhist temple in Bagan, Myanmar. It is also written as Shwegu Gyi Phaya in Burmese. The temple sits on a 3-meter (13-foot) base. It tapers to culminate with a spire at the top. By Bagan standard, it is a moderate-size temple, but the time taken to build it is quite amazing. It was built by King Alaungsithu in 1131. He took only seven and a half months (19 March 1131 to 16 December 1131) to complete the temple.

Funding from Alaungsithu for the construction of Shwegugyi is inscribed on two stone stalae which are set into the wall of the sanctum. They face the main statue of the temple, though this might not be their original location. The main Buddha image in Shwegugyi Temple is a statue of a seated Buddha. Light comes in to illuminate the sanctum interior from nine doors and windows.

Shwegug Gyi Phaya


Shwegugyi Temple is significant in that it is the first temple in Bagan not to have stone sculptures but instead stucco. On the rear side of the temple was a row of deities arranged along the edge of the foundation wall. Many of these wave toppled over, with only a few surviving to this day.

The Shwegugyi Temple underwent extensive refurbishment in the late 18th or 19th century. During this time, its original frescoes were whitewashed. The huge double-doorways of the temple were also added during the refurbishment of 1771.

Shwegugyi Temple is one of just two temples in Old Bagan where visitors can climb up to the upper terraces (the other one being Pahtothamya). There is a slight of stairs at the entrance hall that goes up there. On the lower two terraces, you can see the original glazed ceramics which are now well worn-out.

Getting there

Shwegugyi Temple is located in the heart of Old Bagan. At this site, you are surrounded by the other major monuments such as Ananda Temple and Thatbyinnyu Temple. The temple is south of the paved road that continues to Tharabar Gate.

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

 PG Food Channel

 Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

 Share your travels and/or ask a travel-related question

Join the Penang Travel Tips Facebook Group to share photos, tips and anything related to your travels, or ask travel-related questions.

Map of Roads in Penang

Looking for information on Penang? Use this Map of Roads in Penang to zoom in on information about Penang, brought to you road by road.

Discover with Timothy

Let me take you to explore and discover Penang through my series of walking tours on YouTube. You may use these videos as your virtual tour guide. At the beginning of each video, I provide the starting point coordinates which you may key into your GPS, Google Maps or Waze, to be navigated to where I start the walk, and use the video as your virtual tour guide.

Disclaimer

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Robbie's Roadmap