Wat Phnom is heart of Phnom Penh. It became an important religious site since Daun Penh, a wealthy widow who lived in the west bank of Chrap Chheam River (Tonle Sap River), found five Buddha statues in the hole of Koki trunks which were floating on the water to stuck at Daun Penh high land. Then, in AD 1372, Daun Penh ordered people to pile up earth at northeast her house and used those trunks to build up a temple on the hill to keep the five Buddha statues; since then the temple was named as Wat Phnom Daun Penh (Wat Phnom).
After decline of Angkor in the 14th and early 15th century because of political crisis and the aggression from a new powerful state—Siem, the capital city had been move from Angkor to Tuol Bassan (AD 1431) and then to Chaktomouk (AD 1432)—now Phnom Penh, in which Wat Phnom is located. After that date Wat Phnom became the most important religious site for Khmer Kingdom. Even though the Chaktomouk had been abandoned from AD 1505 to 1865, this site still remained its own importance. Since king Norodom moved the city from Udong back to Chaktomouk, the word “Phnom Daun Penh” was derived to rename Chaktomouk City as “Phnom Penh”; and Wat Phnom have become the heart of capital city again.
Today Wat Phnom is one of the most important tourist destinations in Phnom Penh for both locals and foreigners. Local Cambodians believe that Wat Penh is a very sacred religious site. They always come here to pray for lucks, and they believe that their wish always become true. Because decorations and new constructions, Wat Phnom is a beautiful place with many tall trees surrounding; these trees are the home of hundreds of monkeys and bats.
The Royal Palace [ Top ]
The Royal Palace of Cambodian is heart of the country. It is the symbol of over-two-thousand-year Khmer monarchy, culture, history, unity and civilization. The Royal Palace is located along Sothearos Boulevard in Phnom Penh and facing to the River Front.
Under the French protectorate, French Administration persuaded king Norodom to move the capital city from Udong to Phnom Penh in 1865 because they thought the location is better than the form for Trade and Governance. Eventually, the Royal Palace had to move along with the capital; and the construction was completed in 1866.
Points of attention inside the Palace incorporates the hall where Kings and Queens are crowed, the hall where the monarchs live, the hall where the throne objects and accessories are kept, the hall where the monarchs ride the Royal Elephant, and the hall where Royal Dance performer train. Adjacent the southern gallery of the Palace, there is an important pagoda that is known as Silver pagoda.
Fortunately, some part of the palace including Silver pagoda are allowed for tourist to visit. It is an incredible site in Phnom Penh. The grassroots believe it is so lucky to visit royal palace and the Silver Pagoda because it is the holy place of the kingdom.
Silver Pagoda is known as “Wat Preah Keo Morakot” for locals, while it has a formal name as “Uborsoth Rotannaran”. Although all pagodas in Cambodia have to have monks, Silver Pagoda has no monk living there. This site is served for only the king for worshiping, praying and practicing every Buddhist Silas Day.
It was erected in impressive design. The floor was laid with silver tiles, while its columns were covered with glass stone. A Buddha statue was made of gold having 90 kilogram (about 200 pounds) weight and decorated with 2,086 diamonds. Another important in this site is paintings on the wall of its gallery that depict the scene of ancient epic Ream Ke.
National Museum [ Top ]
Cambodia National Museum is located at the north of the Royal palace along the road 178. After the National Museum had been designed by George Groslier and the Ecole des Arts Cambodgiens, the construction was started in 1917 in traditional Khmer style. When the construction had completed, the king Sisowath made the opening ceremony the building to conserve ancient Khmer art and other historical objectives, in 1920. This museum houses the world’s foremost collection of ancient Khmer archeological, religious, and artistic artifacts from Khmer prehistory to the contemporary history. The museum is daily opened from 8:00 am to 11:00 am and from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm.
Russian Market [ Top ]
Russian Market is so popular amongst foreign visitors, local expatriates and Cambodians. The market is in the southern part of the Capital city, Phnom Penh.
It firstly became popular among Russians who visited Phnom Penh when Cambodia had a close relationship with Russia and Vietnam during the 1980s. Because Russian expatriates liked shopping in this market, everyone called it “Russian Market”, while the locals name it as “Spar Tuol Tum Poung”. The market has the largest and most varied selection of mementoes, ornaments and other items of interest to the tourists. Inside the market, visitors can find hardware goods, drinks and cooked food, old-fashioned furniture, traditional carvings and handiworks, hand-woven silk, music, movie and computer CDs, silverwares, gems, books and maps, backpacks and bags and shoes and clothes.
Tuol Sleng genocide museum is an important museum in Cambodian contemporary history. Before 1975, Tuol Sleng was the Secondary School of Tuol Sleng in Phnom Penh capital. But after Pol Pot came to power, the site became the main torturing place of Khmer Rouge authority.
Thousands of Cambodians and foreigners were imprisoned, tortured and executed in this deadly prison. In the present time, the museum remains a lot of evidences of Khmer Rouge’s barbarism. When tourists see those evidences, they will say “It’s hard to believe!” but it had exactly happen for what Khmer Rouge had done on those pity victim. This genocide museum had a close relationship with Choeung Ek genocide museum at the south of Phnom Penh.
Genocidal Museum, Choeung Ek, is about 17km south of Phnom Penh. It is the best-known of the sites known as The Killing Fields. During the Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 and 1979, about 17,000 people were unjustly executed including women and children. Mass graves in the site contain 8,895 bodies which were unearthed after the decline of the Khmer Rouge regime. Most of the deaths were former prisoners in the Tuol Sleng prison (S.21). Nowadys in the centre of the site, a stupa was built in concrete and acrylic glass to store more than 5,000 victims’ skeletons.
Udong City is at the north of Phnom Penh about 40 kilometers. It was ancient capital city of Cambodia from 1618 to 1866, when king Norodom removed the royal capital to situate at Chaktomouk (Phnom Penh). Numerous stupas of the former royal family and Kings are remained there. After the last huge stupa on the top of the main hill was completely built in 2002, the former king Sihanouk and Queen Monineath Sihanouk made a parade to bring relics of the Buddha from Phnom Penh to maintain in the stupa. Udong offers fantastic sights of the surrounding countryside and rice paddies with the innumerable sugar palm trees.
Koh Dach-Prek Anhchanh village [ Top ]
Koh Dach, an over-30-square-kilometer island, is approximately 20 kilometers north of Phnom Penh on the Mekong River. Tourists go there to visit the beach, Khmer traditional house, and the various handicrafts that local artisans make. On the island, Prek Anhchanh village is so popular in Silk productions. Visitors will pay a close communication with local inhabitants who are carvers, potters or weaver. Moreover, tourists will be descripted how to produce Silk production by local producer or our professional guide. Visitors can buy those products in a lower price than shop or market in Phnom Penh. To reach the island, travelers can catch a tourist boat from Phnom Penh or catch a furry at Bak Kheng commune. On the boat or furry, travelers can be happy with beautiful views of Mekong River and/or Tonle Sap River.
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