No visit to Phnom Penh is complete if you haven't gone to Wat Phnom, the tallest buddhist temple and religious site in the city, standing 27 metres above ground. If it looks somewhat familiar to you, well then it may be due to the fact that Wat Phnom is the symbol of Phnom Penh. Take a good look at any of those souvenir magnets/stickers/etc.
Wat Phnom is situated on a hill and actually serves as a roundabout, making it impossible to miss when you're cruising along the city centre on a tuk-tuk.
Wat Phnom is situated on a hill and actually serves as a roundabout, making it impossible to miss when you're cruising along the city centre on a tuk-tuk.
Built in 1373, rebuilt in 1926, before getting a full facelift in 1998, Wat Phnom continues to be one of the city's most popular sites.
Legend has it that Daun Penh (Lady or Grandmother Penh), a wealthy lady, discovered four bronze statues of Buddha in the trunk of a koki tree that washed up on the banks of the Tonle Sap. She took this as an omen to construct a small shrine on a manmade hill to protect the statues. Once it was built, villagers would come to the sacred shrine to pray for blessings from the Buddha and they began to call the site 'Phnom Penh' (the Mountain of Daun Penh).
It is also said that in 1437, after Angkor was invaded and the Royal Court moved to Phnom Penh, King Ponhea Yat (the last King of the Khmer Empire) ordered the hill to be raised, making Wat Phnom an official sanctuary.
Legend has it that Daun Penh (Lady or Grandmother Penh), a wealthy lady, discovered four bronze statues of Buddha in the trunk of a koki tree that washed up on the banks of the Tonle Sap. She took this as an omen to construct a small shrine on a manmade hill to protect the statues. Once it was built, villagers would come to the sacred shrine to pray for blessings from the Buddha and they began to call the site 'Phnom Penh' (the Mountain of Daun Penh).
It is also said that in 1437, after Angkor was invaded and the Royal Court moved to Phnom Penh, King Ponhea Yat (the last King of the Khmer Empire) ordered the hill to be raised, making Wat Phnom an official sanctuary.
You can find hundreds of locals here daily, giving offerings and praying for good luck.
The statue of King Sisowath (king from 1904 - 1927), King Norodom's brother and successor.
Walking around I couldn't help but think of the place as a sort of Central Park with a Cambodian twist - I mean, it's a tourist spot but a lot of locals also come here daily, there's a lot of greenery that you can take photos of and lounge by, and it's surrounded by a busy road.
Here's the main entrance to Wat Phnom, located on the eastern side of the roundabout. You can also go up on the other side of the hill where the giant clock and King Ponhea Yat's statue can be found (the south-eastern side if you want to be precise), but the entrance there isn't as grand as this.
Guarding the main entrance of Wat Phnom are lion and naga (snake) statues.
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| Wat Phnom St. 96, Norodom Blvd., Phnom Penh |
Entrance to go inside Wat Phnom is $1 per person - you have to pay once you get to the top of the hill. But you're free to roam around the lower section.
Unfortunately we didn't have the time to go inside as we were in a bit of a rush, but from what I've heard, there are hundreds of statues and paintings in the sanctuary depicting stories from the Khmer version of Ramayana and stories of Buddha's reincarnations before his enlightenment. There are also several shrines adorned with various items of devotion and worship.
Given the time, I'd definitely want to go back and reach the top of the hill. And perhaps get a glimpse of those so-called gangster monkeys Wat Phnom is also pretty famous for.
Happy discovering!
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