Shwekyaung (or) the Golden Monastery renown as Golden Kyaung Daw Gyi is 19 Century Kon Baung Myanamar Architectural Work and is 118 years old. It is situated in Maha Aung Mye Township, Dawna ward, Mandalay. Since a palace hall is constructed and donated as a monastery, it is gilded with glittering gold layers inside and outside thus called “Golden Monastery”.
Golden Kyaung Daw Gyi is on the northern side of Hman Nan Hall of Mya Nan San Kyaw Shwe Nan Daw Gyi. When son King Thibaw Min ascended the throne when father 5th Thingayanatin Mindon Min who built the Mandalay Yadanabon Empire, passed away, removed Shwe Nan Saung and Ah Nu Saung and, at this very place on 31st October 1883 constructed a monastery at a cost of 120,000 Kyats and donated it.
Golden Palace Kyaung Gyi has a three tiered roof. The middle upper second layer was the Zay Ta Wun Saung. Unlike the monasteries of an earlier era, in the whole of Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung, from East to North, there are 15 Teak pillars and South to West 10-pillar line. A total of 150 pillars and 54 Nayar decorated support poles and being built with five Thayet Kin Brick Stairs.
The whole Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung is decorated with Myanmar wood carvings, tapestry with floral designs of Kon Baung Era as well as fabulous works of art and doors decorated with bird and animal statues as well as Myanma cultural mosaic.
The front part of the interior are teak pillars, the bases which are adorned with carving of Jataka stories in detail. In the interior of the eastern side is the Buddha statue made of cemented ashes of a branch of the sacred Maha Bawdi Banyan Tree revered by King Mindon. The Golden Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung Gyi resembles the original Myaa Nan San Kyaw Shwe Nan Daw Gyi which escaped allied bombing during World War II.
