Phnom Penh Attractions

Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda

The Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda sit side by side on the riverside, and while they are two separate complexes they are visited as one, starting with the Royal Palace and then continuing onto the Silver Pagoda. Approaching the complex you will notice the walls painted vivid yellow to represent Buddhism, and white for Hinduism, the two main faiths of Cambodia until they were combined into one by Jayavarman VII in the 12th century. At this point the dominating feature is the golden spired Chanchhaya Pavilion, used as a venue for Royal Dancers, as a tribune for the King to address the crowds, and as a place to hold state and Royal banquets. Once inside the Palace grounds, street sounds are silenced by the high walls and the various Royal buildings sit like ornate islands rising from the tranquil, manicured tropical gardens. Except for the area of the actual Royal residence, the Khemarin Palace (if the blue royal flag is flying the King is in residence), most of the Palace grounds and Silver Pagoda are open to the public. Surrounded by asian grandeur you cannot fail to notice the strangely out of place, grey, mostly cast-iron, colonial building – this was a present from Napoleon III in 1876.

The Silver Pagoda's proper name is Wat Preah Keo Morokat, which means 'The Temple of the Emerald Buddha,' but it has received the common moniker 'Silver Pagoda' after the 4000+ solid silver tiles that make up its floor. The walls of the pagoda are lavishly decorated with colourful frescos depicting episodes from the Khmer version of the Ramayana. The focal point of the pagoda is the large jade Buddha statue – the Emerald Buddha. Standing in front of the Emerald Buddha is another taller, solid-gold Buddha weighing 90 kilograms and encrusted with over 2,000 diamonds. The pagoda compound as a whole contains several structures and gardens, including a library, various stupas, shrines, monuments, and minor buildings, as well as the equestrian statue of King Norodom which was set in place in 1892. Also worth looking at are the complex walls with their lavishly decorated frescos depicting episodes from the Khmer version of the Ramayana.

National Museum

The distinctive terracotta red National Museum is located next to the Royal Palace and it was dedicated by King Sisowath in 1920. Over 5,000 objects are on display including Angkorian era statues, lingas, and other artifacts, most notably the legendary statue of the ‘Leper King’ (a replica sits in the original spot on the ‘Terrace of the Leper King' at Angkor Wat. Though the emphasis is on Angkorian artifacts, there are also examples from the pre-Angkorian Funan period (4th-9th centuries), and a good collection of pieces from later periods, including a special exhibition of post-Angkorian Buddha figures. Visiting the museum you will not only be enthralled with ancient artifacts but also more recent works of craftsmanship. Walking behind the main building you will be impressed with students of the University of Fine Arts who are practicing all forms of art, pursuing the heritage of their forefathers. Also of interest is Street 178, aka ‘Artists Street’, which borders the museum and is lined with several art galleries and souvenir shops. The Reyum Gallery is of particular note, exhibiting the works of contemporary Cambodian artists.

Wat Phnom

A small hill, or phnom, crowned by a wat (temple) marks the legendary founding place of Phnom Penh and gives the city its name. The hill is the site of constant activity, with a steady stream of the faithful climbing to the wat, shrines and fortune tellers at the top. Legend has it that in 1372 a rich Khmer woman, Lady Penh, was strolling along the river bank when she noticed a koki tree floating by, which she fished from the waters. Inside the tree she found four Buddha statues and took them to the hill and built a small temple to house them. Later the surrounding area became known after the hill (Phnom) and its creator (Lady Penh), hence ‘Phnom Penh’. As you are exploring the wat look out the alter dedicated to Lady Penh and her smiling statue, it is said she is of particular help to fellow women. Today the well-shaded hill sits at the centre of a roundabout and has a bit of a fun atmosphere to it, with a giant clock built into the hillside, a small exhibition hall which often has interesting displays, numerous hawkers ambling around, and even elephant rides available. As you wander around see if you can spot the life size Koprey sculpture, Cambodia’s national animal, now thought to be extinct, and if you have the time the nearby Cambodia Handicraft Association’s boutique has a good range of local crafts for sale which have been produced by various local village co-operatives.

Central Market (Phsar Thmei)

The unique, stunning ochre-coloured, art-deco Central Market is definitely a Phnom Penh landmark. Constructed in the 1930s the large domed building with its four wings is an amazingly cool place to seek refuge in the middle of the day, and is also a fascinating market to wander through. The area directly under the huge dome is given over to gold and watch merchants, while the wings are dedicated to electrical goods, household appliances, women’s clothing, and men’s clothing. Surrounding the market walls is a ramshackle, sprawling market area with tarpaulin sheets making a low roof. This area is also well worth exploring, however it is not as cool. Here you will find shoe stalls, a meat and fish market, various insect type snacks, an ample supply of flowers, as well as souvenir merchants hawking everything from t-shirts and postcards to silver curios and karmas. The market is known as ‘Phsar Thmei’ in Khmer which actually means ‘New Market’, however due to its location the English ‘Central Market’ has caught on.

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