The Royal Palace
The Royal Palace of Phnom Penh was built in 1866 during the region of King Norodom I. The Royal Palace of Phnom Penh is also known as the Four-Armed Grand Palace. This Royal Palace was built with facilitate from France and has a little French style in the traditional Khmer construction style. The Royal Palace of Phnom Penh is a comprehensive complex, including the throne hall for coronation ceremonies, royal events, and royal Buddhist ceremonies. The “silver pagoda” of Buddhist temples and palaces for the monarchs of Cambodia.
The National Museum of Cambodia
The red brick “Cambodia National Museum” full of Angkor dynasty atmosphere is located next to the Royal Palace. In addition to its own unique architecture, the way of presenting cultural relics is also different from other art museums: the historical relics of hundreds or even thousands of years have no temperature control, no mortal glass, and they are directly displayed in front of you at a close distance although they cannot be touched, but also close enough to smell the footprints of history. Most of the museum’s collections are Angkor Dynasty stone carvings, bronzes, and traditional wooden daily necessities.
The Independence Monument
The Independence Monument was built to commemorate Cambodia’s independence from French colonial rule on November 9, 1953. This building was completed in March 1958. It is 37 meters high and has 7 floors. The four pillars are engraved with the seven-headed snake god Naga, which symbolizes protection. It is a building with both aesthetics and historical spiritual significance things. Every year on Independence Day, the Cambodian king or king’s representative will hold a grand celebration here. Visiting foreign healds of state often come here to lay wreaths.
Wat Ounalom
Ounalom Temple is the largest, oldest and most important temple in Phnom Penh. Ounalom Temple was built in 1443 and includes 44 architectural structures. More than 500 monks stayed in the temple. During the Khmer Rouge, the abbot and most of the monks in the temple were killed. The temple was also looted and destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1979.
Wat Phnom
Wat Phnom is the commanding height of Phnom Penh and the birthplace of Phnom Penh City. According to legend in 1373, a woman named “PENH” drifted down the Mekong River due to a flood. She picked up a statue of Buddha and enshrined it on the hill. Later people built temples here because believers and pilgrims filled the gates. It gradually developed into a prosperous town and was named “Phnom Daun Penh” which means “Madame Penh Mountain”. The local Chinese translated it as “Phnom Penh” Wat Phnom is about a hundred meters high, with a statue of Madame Penh on the top of the mountain. It is one of the most representative symbols of Phnom Penh, and it is also a place for citizens to relax. On the top of the mountain, there is a pagoda. The Stupa is about 30 meters high. Standing on the top, you can see the overview of Phnom Penh, and you can have a panoramic view of the city.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is located in South of Phnom Penh City, also known as the “Pol Pot Crime Museum”. It was a concentration camp in Phnom Penh during the Khmer Rouge period. This was originally a high school, and was used as a concentartion camp for prisoners during the Hmer Rouge period. More than 17,000 intellectuals, civilians, women and children were imprisoned here, and countless people were tortured to death everyday. Until Hun Sen regime invaded Phnom Phnom Penh in 1979, only 14 bodies and 7 survivors were left in this concentration camp. The torture instruments and contents on display in the prison are creepy. In addition, a doucmentary is broadcast everyday at 10 o’clock and 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
Choeng Ek Genocide Museum
Choeng Ek Genocide Museum was originally an orchard and a Chinese cemetery. Located 15 kilometers southeast of Phnom Penh City. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge, a large number of tombs were found here, with more than 8,000 remains. Choeng Ek is the most famous of more than 300 killing battlefields in Cambodia. Between 1975 and 1979, about `17,000 people were executed here. It is now a memorial hall, or genocide center, marked by a pagoda with more than 5,000 dead human skulls. A lot of tortures and the remains of the people killed during the Khmer Rouge period are displayed here which is creepy, but if you want to face up to Cambodia’s tragic history of blood and tears, this is a place not to be missed.
The Four Arms Bay
“The Four Arms Bay” is the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap, Tonle Sap Lake, and Basak Rivers. These four rivers converge into a wide surface of the water here and stretch out like four huge arms. Phnom Penh City is located on the west of Four Arms Bay. Four Arms Bay nurtures and shelters the city like a great mother. The urban area of Phnom Penh is rectangular and stretches north and south along the “Four Arms Bay”. It has beautiful and pleasant scenery. In the evening, it’s a very good choice to take a boat to visit the Four Arms Bay. Tourists can enjoy the life of people who live along both sides of the river, and enjoy the sunset, and the sunshine is sprinkled on the roof of the palace which is golden. The lights along both sides of the river make the city particularly peaceful and quiet.
Oudong Mountain
Oudong Mountain is about 35 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh. The word Oudong comes from Sanskrit meaning “Supreme”. Oudong was the capital of Cambodia for a long time from 1618 to 1866, King Norodom moved the capital to Phnom Penh. In 1977, the ancient city of Oudong was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge Regime. In 1992, UNESCO included the ancient city of Oudong in the tentative list of World Heritage Sites. The Oudong temple is built on the mountain and stretches from the southeast to the northeast, with a solemn stupa in the middle. Here you can visit the ancient royal ruins and spend a peaceful time.
The Central Market
The Central Market was located in the center of the Phnom Penh Capital City of Cambodia, it has a long history. It is one of the most famous sights in Cambodia, as well as a landmark and symbol of Phnom Penh. The Central Market was built during the French colonial period in 1937. The dome in the center of the market resembles four huge arms extending east, west, south, and north respectively. it exudes a strong French colonial architectural style, yellow and white. The intertwined appearance is very eye-catching, and it is a unique building in Phnom Penh. There is no pillar under the huge dome and in the center of arms extending to the four directions. In the 1940s, it was regarded as an architectural miracle. It also makes people sigh that the design and architecture of 76 years ago were just like that. It is said that this building designed by the Italians and built by the French, was also included in the top ten of the “World Construction Technology” list in 1960.
