The Shwedagon Phaya at night.  Located in the former capital Rangon (Yangon), it is one of Burma's most famous shrines, and it is believed to contain relics of the Gotama Buddha as well as three other Buddhas. 

 

The shrine has been the site of frequent political expression.  In December 1920, students met here to plan a demonstration against an act established by the British.   In January 1946, General Aung San gave a famous speech here, at the inauguration of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League Convention.  In the wake of the August 1988 democratic uprising, Aung San Suu Kyi (Aung San's daughter and Noble Peace Prize winner) delivered another famous speech from its steps, helping to set in motion the creation of the National League for Democracy.  In September 2007, the shrine was home to gatherings of monks, nuns, and lay people protesting the military's repression.

 

There is a memorial for General Aung San, who was assasinated, at the shrine.