Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

Ok, here too, I have had problems with my camera (recurrent thing isn't it) so, sadly, my next photo will be for Siem Reap only.

Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda of Phnom Penh

One of my pet peeve about any attraction is not being told when a major portion is closed off. If I know, than I can decide either to go in or to go another time. That is what happened here. I went to the Royal Palace, once I paid my entry and actually made my way in the site, I realized big portions were closed off including the throne room and the garden. Forget about having a refund or any sympathy from the staff.

This being said, I can't tell you much about the Royal Palace portion because I didn't linger here too long. However, this is what I know: the Royal Palace is both a symbol of the country and the residence of the king. During the Khmer Rouge regime, it also served as a prison to the king and his family.

(Royal Palace, Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Apart from the palace, there was still quite a bit to see. The Silver Pagoda was quite nice with many objects on display. Problem is, it's so crowded that it's hard to really stop to look at anything. The name of the pagoda comes from the 5,329 silver tiles that cover the floor. Each tile was handcrafted and weighs 1.125 kg. However, the beautiful tiling is mainly covered up by musty carpet.

(Silver Pagoda, Photo Credit: Angkor Focus)

The primary Buddha, to which the pagoda owes it's proper name, is the Emerald Buddha. It is claimed that the Buddha is not actually made of emerald, but rather of baccarat crystal. In front of it stand another Buddha, the Buddha Maitreva (Buddha of the Future). It is a 90 kg sculpture encrusted with 2,086 diamonds, including a 25 carat diamond in the crown and a 20 carat diamond in the chest. The exhibit contains many more items, including a relic of Buddha (a piece of finger if I remember correctly).

(Emerald Buddha, Photo Credit: Samsara Shmamsara)

As you walk around the ground you can see a few stupas containing the ashes of King Ang Doung, King Norodom, King Suramarit and Queen Kossomak, and of Princess Kantha Bopha.

However, as you continue walking the grounds you can see other cool stuff. You can have a sit down in other praying areas, that are mostly deserted. There are also some cool little exhibition rooms further in, including a portrait room that I really liked.

You can read more about the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda here.