Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

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The Royal Palace complex is less crowded -- with buildings and with people -- than Bangkok's City Palace, but its structures are no less elaborate or beautiful. The Throne Hall, is the most impressive of them. It is a relatively new building, erected only in 1919.

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Built in1866 over the old citadel of Banteay Krev, this palace is a fine example of Kmer art. The construction was supervised by french architects. The beautiful Throne Hall was built in 1917, for royal coronations. The walls are covered by kmer paintings of the Ramayana story.

Well, I would say that since you're in Phnom Penh, you must visit the Royal Palace, but I certainly wouldn't go to Phnom Penh for that reason.

The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda were not the most interesting things we have done. It is lovely to see the Khmer architecture, but inside the buildings it's not particularly well maintained. The grounds are pretty enough. There is a miniature replica of Angkor Wat near the exit. They have made some attempt to create interest at the exit area with an example of a khmer house, a girl weaving silk, some music and a small museum.

The Royal Palace was built in 1866 and is still the residence of the Royal Family. Of course that area is out of bounds.

You are not permitted to take pictures of anything other than the outsides of the buildings and the gardens, even though they charge you to take your camera in.

Opening Hours: 7.30am - 11.00pm, 2.00pm - 5.00 pm.
Entry Fees: US$3.00p/p, camera $2.00, video camera $5.00. Photography is not permitted inside any of the buildings.

See next tip for rules of entry to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.

1. Do not wear shoes inside the Throne Hall and temples
2. No smoking
3. Do not wear hats inside the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.
4. Be appropriately dressed which means no bare shoulders, stomachs or legs. Guards will prevent you from entering if you are not correctly dressed.
5. Do not take photographs in the prohibited places.
6. Do not touch the glass panes, walls, columns or murals.
7. Keep quiet.

The palace is beautiful, but not that old. It was built from 1911 onwards on the site of a late nineteenth century citadel. The Silver Pagoda was built as recently as 1962.

In the 1970s the palace was looted and badly damaged, but since the return of King Norodom Sihanouk to the palace in 1991, it ha been restored to pristine condtion. The Silver Pagoda is covered with thousands of silver tiles and inside the main temple is a solid gold, standing statue of Buddha, weighing 75kilograms.

Admission to the Royal Palace is $3 plus $2 for a camera. Then you find it is forbidden to take photographs inside any of the buildings!

Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace complex is reminiscent of Bangkok’s Grand Palace though on a smaller scale. This can work to the visitor’s advantage however when one realizes that with an early start, you can have the whole place to yourself, a near impossibility in the Thai capital. Since King Sihanouk’s return to power, the actual Royal Palace is off limits but there are still ample things to explore. The Throne Hall which is crowned with a 59 meter tower that brings Angkor’s Bayon to mind, is the first thing one sets eyes on when entering the imposing compound. Though it dates back to 1919, many of the artifacts once kept here met a fate similar to the general Cambodian populace at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.

A curious western style building can be found on the Royal Palace grounds. The is the Napoleon III Pavilion. It was given by the Emperor Napoleon III to Empress Eugenie (his wife), who in turn had it dismantled and sent to Phnom Penh as a gift for King Norodom in the 1870s.

The most interesting buildings in Phnom Penh are those in the Royal Palace. The Throne Hall was inspired by the Bayon at Ankor and was constructed by King Sisowath in 1919. It replaced a vast wooden building that was built in 1869. This building is used for coronations and ceremonies by the King.

Also located on the grounds of the palace is the Silver Pagoda (Temple of the Emerald Buddha - Wat Phra Kaew), formerly a wooden building, was rebuilt in 1962 in concrete and marble. The pagoda is floored with over 5000 silver tiles each weighing 1 kg. It is famous for its 90 kg solid gold Buddha made in 1907 and an emerald Buddha said to be made of baccarant crystal. Sharing the pagoda are many other interesting artifacts and jewels.

Other buildings include, the Chan Chaya Pavilion, the Royal Treasury, the Royal Banqueting Hall, a pavilion housing a huge footprint of the Buddha, and the Napoleon III Pavilion.

The Royal Palace is open from 8 a.m to 11 a.m and from 2 p.m to 5 p.m everyday except on the national holidays. The Royal Palace is closed when the royal family is home. Admission to the site is $3 and it's worth getting a guide.