The stupa itself is immense, which is too bad for the photos' sake, because it's hard to see the amazing embellishment of the structure. Legend has it that the original eight hairs were encased in a small stupa made of gold. This was then encased in a silver stupa, then successive layers of tin, copper, lead, marble and iron. Nobody really knows what's inside now except it's definitely completely solid. Over the centuries each king would pour gold on it, usually some multiple of their body weight. It's now regilded once a year. Because it's so big you can barely see the decoration at top, so it's a bit of a waste, but it's quite elaborate. It's solid gold, with the top hung with gold bells, silver bells and jewelry. At the tip there's a gold flag that serves as a weather vane, covered with 3,000 diamonds and rubies. And above the flag is a diamond orb, completely encrusted with 4,400 diamonds, with a single huge diamond perched at the very tippy top, to use childspeak.