SILVER PAGODA NATIONAL MUSEUM WAT PHNOM KING'S PALACE TOUL SLENG MUSEUM THE KILLING FIELDS INDEPENDENCE MONUMENT THE MARKETS
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According to legend, the rich widow Don Penh was walking in a forest when she found a tree with a five Buddha statues inside. Near this tree a pagoda was erected on her orders. After the widow's death, this pagoda was named Wat Phnom Don Penh Phnom. Many years later the area around Wat Phnom became a new city, named Phnom Penh.
Official sources show that Phnom Penh was founded in 1327 AD. In 1866 Phnom Penh again was made the capital of the country owing to it's convenient defensive and trading location. The City is situated on the rivers Mekong and Tonle Sap. In spite of the recent decades of civil war, which immersed country in chaos and ruin, it is still possible to find reminders of the previous magnificence of the capital – There are still a few buildings and temples in the traditional Khmer style as well as former residences of the French administration.
As a capital and historical center of the country Phnom Penh has a lot of places to see:
The Silver Pagoda (or the temple of the Emerald Buddha). First built out of wood, it was
rebuilt in 1962. The pagoda floor is covered with 5000 silver tiles each weighing 1 kilo. It is also known for its 90kg solid gold Buddha created in 1907 and an Emerald Buddha made of baccarat crystal. There are also a lot of other jewels and religious artifacts. During the time of the Khmer Rouge, the Silver Pagoda was the only acting temple in Cambodia.
In The National Museum travelers can see the world’s foremost collection of ancient Khmer archeological, religious, and artistic artifacts (about 5000) from the 4th to the 13th centuries. The museum was built in 1917 under a project of Jorge Grouslier and was opened by King Sisavat in 1920. Unusually the roof of Museum is home to tens of thousands of bats - this constitutes the world’s largest colony of bats living in a man made building. Every evening they leave their living area and fly around the museum before going off hunting.
This temple in the middle of Phnom Penh is situated on an artificially made hill 27 meters high. The original pagoda was built in 1373 to house four Buddha statues, which were found in the Mekong River. Now the temple is a center of many Buddhist ceremonies and festivals, including Pchum Bhen, much respected by Phnom Phen citizens. Wat Phnom is a revered place of worship for all Khmers and is the namesake of the capital. There are usually a lot of fortunetellers, mystics and healers sitting around. Undoubtedly they contribute to the creation of the unique atmosphere in and around the temple.
Unfortunately, the King's residence is closed to visitors, however there is still a
very nice view of it, if one looks at it from the nearby hill. This is a mayor residence of His Majesty the King Norodom Sihanouk.
TOUL SLENG MUSEUM (Formally Toul Svay Prey School)
Known as the Museum of Genocidal Crimes, it was used by the Khmer Rouge as a detention and killing center from April 1975 to January 1979. This is the world’s most terrible reminder of genocide practiced against their own nation. Thousands of people were moved from Toul Sleng to the Killing Fields. Today the building houses exhibits, paintings and photographs of prisoners. The Prisoners cells and terrible torture devices are also shown.
THE KILLING FIELDS (Boeung Choeung Ek)
Situated 15 kilometers from Phnom Penh this is one of the places where tens of thousands of civilians were killed and buried in mass graves. It is a powerful reminder of the national genocide practiced by the Khmer Rouge regime. In the center of the area is a tall glass stupa containing more than 8000 skulls of genocide victims.
The Independence Monument was erected in 1958 as commemoration to the war of liberation against France. As a result of that war, Cambodia became an independent state in 1953. The monument is kept in traditional Khmer style; it consists of 5 levels decorated with 100 snakeheads. The best view of the monument is probably at sunset. The sun can be seen painting the building with warm orange and rouge colors, with delicate shadows emphasizing the architectural grace of the building.
The recently refurbished riverfront park is the focal point for Phnom Penh residents’ leisure activities. Early risers can see many locals welcoming the new day with Tai Chi and other exercises while the sun rises majestically over the river. In the early evening and all day on Sunday many people stroll, picnic or just sit and watch the world go by. Vendors all along the riverfront serve local delicacies and visitors can indulge in dried salted fish or another favorite, boiled duck embryos still in the shell.
Of the more than a dozen markets in Phnom Penh many of them are of little interest to
visitors, selling, as they do, general household purchases in many of the districts of the city. There are, however, several centrally located markets of real interest to shoppers, browsers and souvenir hunters alike. Be warned that nothing is priced and bargaining is a must, but unlike some neighboring countries, haggling here is good natured and fun.
The Central Market (New Market) is one of the largest and busiest markets in Phnom Penh. Built in 1937 by French architects and surprisingly cool, even in the heat of the hottest day, many interesting products are available. The eastern side, which is the main entrance, has many souvenirs and ornaments on sale from T-shirts to large stone heads. In the center are the many jewelry stores and precious stone vendors as well as a plethora of electronic goods merchants, cloth sellers and other dealers; most of them selling things considerably cheaper than back home.
The Toul Tom Pong Market (The Russian Market) is probably the city’s best source of objects d’art. Items for sale include wooden and stone carvings, various ritual objects, silverware, and old Indo-Chinese notes and coins. There is a large range of antiquities and curios for those prepared to ferret around the various stalls and there are also gold and silversmiths inside the market who can be seen custom making jewelry. This too is a good source of both Cambodian and Chinese silk and clothes. This is one of the most popular markets in Phnom Penh with foreign residents and tourists who can spend many an interesting hour browsing before choosing that perfect gift.
The O’Russei market on the North side of the Olympic Stadium is a typical Cambodian market catering to the everyday needs of the populace. Here the sights and smells of this market give the visitor the feel of a local market with many housewives still purchasing their foodstuffs on a daily basis. This market is full of local character and one can only imagine the banter that takes place between all the vendors and customers. Here, is one of the best selections of the different types of fruit from all over the region, though the choice, naturally, depends on the season.
