Founded in 1167 by Prince Minshinzaw, exiled son of King Alaungsithu, Shwekyimyint considerably predates Mandalay itself. Minshinzaw himself consecrated the central sitting Buddha image that's roughly life-sized and crusted with gold and jewelled raiments in an intimately hushed little prayer chamber. The pagoda also hosts other images collected by later Myanmar kings that were relocated here for safe keeping after the British occupied Mandalay Palace.
