Phnom Penh Attractions

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Royal Palace

The Royal Palace

This is the principal attraction of the city and contains the best examples of 20th-century Khmer architecture. The Royal Palace is the official residence of King Norodom Sihanouk. Set among the perfectly maintained gardens is the exquisite Throne Hall, the Elephant Pavilion where the king's elephants were kept, the Royal Treasury and the Chan Chaya Pavilion, made especially for performances of classical Cambodian dance. Although mostly off-limits to the public, the Silver Pagoda can be visited. The highlight of the compound, the Silver Pagoda, takes its name from the floor of the temple, which is completely covered in silver tiles. The internal walls are decorated with frescoes depicting episodes of the Ramayana myth, painted in 1903 by 40 Khmer artists. Also called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha, the magnificent baccarat crystal image of the Emerald Buddha sits in the centre on a gilt pedestal. There are other intricately carved Buddha images on display, notably the life-size solid gold statue that stands in front of the pedestal, decorated with 9,584 diamonds.

Opening time: Daily 7.30am to 11am and 2.30pm to 5pm; Admission: US$3; additional camera charge US$2

National Museum

National Museum

The museum houses the country’s most important collection of ancient Cambodian culture and Khmer art. It is made up of four galleries containing relics, sculpture, art and crafts covering history from the pre-Angkor period (4th century) until the present. The pieces are arranged in chronological order and the collection continues to grow as new treasures previously hidden from the Khmer Rouge are discovered. There are also original relics and sculptures from the temples of Angkor.

Address: Next to the Royal Palace on Streets 178 and 13; Opening time: Daily 8am to 11am and 2.30pm to 5pm; Admission: US$3

Tuol Sleng Museum

Tuol Sleng Museum

When the Khmer Rouge came into power in 1975 they commandeered and converted a secondary school into a primitive prison where they detained and tortured anyone suspected of anti-revolutionary behaviour. Between 1975 and 1979 an estimated 20,000 victims were imprisoned in Security Prison 21, or S21, as it was known. The museum was established after the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and today it appears exactly as the fleeing Khmer Rouge left it, and serves as a testimony to the crimes and atrocities of the organisation. It is a tremendously depressing experience, and the pictures, instruments of torture and bloodstained walls give a thorough idea of the extent of the pain and horror borne by the Cambodian people. Thousands of victims were transported from here to the extermination camp outside the city, Choeung Ek.

Address: Corner of 113 and 350 Streets; Opening time: Daily 8am to 11.30am and 2.30pm to 5pm; Admission: US$2