Situated about half a mile west of Nyaung U, Shwezigon Pagoda has three terraces, bell shape, embossed circular rings, down-turned and up-turned lotus petals, celestials stairways and so forth, like a sacred reliquary of typical early Bagan architecture, built by King Anawrahta of Bagan, as guided by Shin Arahan in 421 ME, finished by King Kyansittha, enshrining various relics of Buddha. At its four facades were all standing-posture images of Buddha. Viewing the Shwezigon Pagoda from bottom to top, one will see that above the third terrace there it is made up of several elements; viz. an eight-angled kya-wun or lotus 5, a kya-wain(6), a kya-mhauk or inverted lotus surmounted by a kya-lan or upright lotus and (7) a kha-pat or girding belt (8). Above these one will notice that the bell-shaped dome is adorned with a nakham-htu or lip (9), a hkaung-laung-na or lower edge (10) and a yin-phwe kha-pat or breast belt (11). Above the dome there is the tha-paik hmauk or inverted alms bowl (12), which in turn is surmounted by several hpaung-yit or rings (13). Like many modern pagodas, the Shwezigon is equipped with rings that are staggered, with larger rings being separated by smaller ones (14), and again by mo-lyo or rain rings (15)

Above the rings are placed a kya-seik(16), another inverted lotus (17), kya-ywe or ball lotuses (18), a kya-pyan (kya-lan) or lotus with outspread petals (19), and another ring (20). Finally, all of these elements are surmounted by the spindle made of five metals (21) and an umbrella (22). On each of the four sides of the Shwezigon, there is a brick Buddha-shrine called a Kye-gu Taik; each of which contains an excellently crafted standing statue of the Buddha made of copper. On the eastern side next to a covered staircase, one will also find two inscribed pillars placed there by King Kyanzittha which record the history of the pagoda in Mon language.

In terms of pagoda design, of all the pagodas on the plain at Nyaung Oo, the Shwezigon became the favorite of later periods for the balance of its features. The five hundred Jataka plaques adorning its terraces on all sides, the lions at its corners, the staircases and arched en trances, the colossal pots and small pagodas placed at its corners, the lower lip and breast girdle of its dome which is surmounted by the inverted alms bowl and decorated with festooned flowers, its many rings and rain rings, and finally its spindle and banana bulb at the top; all of these features when considered artistically, make the Shwezigon a beautifully appointed pagoda.

When the pagoda was being constructed, the builders used an ancient Mon architectural method called ye-khyein-khwet to lay Out the sides of pagoda square perpendicularly on a level surface, and to orient the monument towards the east. This method is still in use today.It has nine wonders:

(1) Its umbrella being stead-fast without being fastened without being fastened with cable
(2) Its shadow not extending beyond its walls
(3) Gold leaf papers dropped from atop not getting beyond the walls
(4) Its walled envious never being congested regardless of number of pilgrims
(5) No human could be the first in offering food at the first bowl
(6) The stupa seeming to be higher than it is
(7) The drum sounded from one side is not heard from the other
(8) No rainwater remains within the walls
(9) The star flower plants bear flowers all year round.