Wat
Phnom
Beautifully man-made hill as the namesake of
Phnom Penh. Built in 1372 by a wealthy lady known Lady Penh. Wat Phnom surrounded by
largely shaded trees is a favorite place for the city dwellers in the late afternoon and
place where local merchants pray for fortune in life. The temple is built on top and
houses statues of Buddhist and its walls are decorated with old paintings depicting Rama's
life. Driving around Wat Phnom, you can see colonial prime location such as post office,
Ministry of Telecommunication and Transport and other residents dated back to French
colonial time.
National Museum
Wherein a collection of priceless Khmer arts and
artifacts, particularly sculptures dated back to pre and Angkor era. Attractive building
next to the Royal Palace was designed by French archeologist and painter George Groslier
in 1920. Inside the compound, you will see a small artificial pond with clear water fill
with lotus flowers.
Silver Pagoda
Located on the same compound of the Royal Palace
thus you can gaze into the palace for beautiful throne hall and classically beautiful
garden blossomed with flowers, with an exhibition of the Royal jewelry and presents from
foreign dignitaries inside the pagoda. The pagoda is also famous for housing 90kg golden
Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds, and its floor is comprised of more than 5,000 silver
blocks which weigh nearly 6 ton. Built by King Norodom in 1892 to enshrine Royal ashes and
then rebuilt by Sihanouk in 1962.
Toul Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crime
Before the Khmer Rouge regime rose to power, it
was initially just a high school. Subsequently, it was converted into a deadly prison
known as Security Prison 21 by the Khmer Rouge who ruled Cambodia between 1975-1979. Toul
Sleng was where more than 20, 000 Cambodian people were tortured and interrogated before
sending to the execution at the Killing Fields. Countless number of innocent people died
in Toul Sleng during detention and interrogation, whose corpses were thrown into mass
graves in the school ground. Going from one room to another of the school, visitors can
see blood-stained wall, photographs of the tortured victims and those awful equipments
used by the Khmer Rouges in act of torturing and execution. Located downtown, Toul Sleng
could be of mentally disturbing site, and is not recommended for those tourists who are
easily shocked.
Cheung Ek Killing Fields
After the victims were being tortured and
interrogated at Toul Sleng Security Prison 21, the Khmer Rouge sent them to the Cheung Ek
Killing Fields, located 19 Km by 20-minute drive from Phnom Penh for execution. At the
scene, visitors can see massive graves together with cracked skulls of men, women and
children exhumed from 129 mass graves. It is estimated that around 40,000 Cambodians were
murdered at Cheung Ek between 1975-1978. The site is of mentally disturbing, and not
recommended for those tourists who get shocked easily.