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THE ROYAL PALACE AND SILVER PAGODA |
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Built in 1866, the site contains various buildings of interest, including the Khmer-style Throne Hall, now used for special ceremonial occasions. South of the throne Hall are the Royal Treasury and the Villa of Napoleon III, built in Egypt in 1966, for the opening of the Suez canal , and was later presented to the Cambodian King as a gift. |
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The famous Silver Pagoda, originally constructed of wood in 1866, was expanded in 1962 by King Sihanouk who had the floor inlaid with 5,329 solid silver tiles, hence its name. The most revered image is the Emerald Buddha, made of Baccarat crystal and dating back to the 17th century. Behind it, another Buddha statue was cast in 1906, utilising 90kg of gold, and decorated with 9,584 diamonds. Cabinets along the perimeter contain gifts presented to royalty and dignitaries. Along the inside of the recently restored 600 metre external wall is a colourful mural depicting scenes from the Reamke, the Khmer version of the Ramayana. |
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NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE ARTS |
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To the north of the Palace grounds, the building was designed in Khmer-style in 1920 by a French architect, and contains important artefacts and sculptures from the Angkor era and earlier. |
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WAT PHNOM |
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On the hill to the north of the city, and restored or reconstructed in 1434, 1806,1894 and 1926, Wat Phnom is regularly used for prayers, small offerings and meditation. |
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OUDONG Approximately 40km from Phnom Penh , and located on a hill overlooking vast plains, this site is famous for the burial chedis of the Khmer Kings. |
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MARKETS |
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Designed by a French architect, the bustling art-deco style Central Market opened in 1937 and is a famous city landmark offering a wide range of goods including souvenirs, jewellery, silks, electronic goods, stationery, second hand clothes and bric-a-brac.
The Russian Market is good for souvenirs such as objets d'art, trinkets, coins and miniature Buddhas. The Olympic Market is a three storey covered market near the Olympic stadium which was upgraded and reopened in 1994 and now specialises in wholesale items. |
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TUOL SLENG MUSEUM |
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The Museum of Genocide is located in the former Tuol Svay Prey High school . When the Khmer Rouge took the capital in 1975, the school buildings were turned into a jail and torture centre where thousands of people where systematically killed. More than 20,00 people entered Tuol Sleng and only a handful of people survived. |
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CHOEUNG EK - THE KILLING FIELD OF CAMBODIA |
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These killing fields are dedicated to Cambodian people executed and buried during the reign of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge (1975 - 1979). Those people who survived the indescribable torture of Tuol Sleng were taken to the Choeung Ek execution centre just outside the city, where they were murdered and thrown into mass graves. This land has become known as the Killing Fields of Cambodia. At the execution area, now idyllically located between rice paddies and fruit orchards. a memorial glass tower has been erected, containing the skulls and bodily remains of many of the tens of thousands of victims.
Both Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields are a must for guests interested in Cambodian history and the suffering Cambodian people have gone through in the past. It is important to advise anyone intending to visit these areas that it is not recommended for young children as both sites are largely maintained in their original state and can be confronting and distressing. |
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