Royal Palace The Royal Palace was built in 1866, under the reign of King Norodom, it is located along Southearos Boulevard. Within the Royal Palace complex, there are: Tevia Vinichhay Temple: The throne room.
Khemarin Temple : The place where the King and Queen live.
Somran Phirum Temple : The place where the King rides the Royal Elephant.
Hor Baku or Hor Preah Khan : The place where keeping the royal objects and accessories.
Chan Chhaya : The Royal dance hall for king and relatives and high-raking officers. In front of the Royal dace hall, There is a platform for the King to hold the meeting with People and all levels of officials.
Silver Pagoda : The Silver Pagoda, so named because the floor is covered with over 5000 silver tiles, weighing 1kg each, is also
known as Wat Preah Keo (Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha).
It was constructed of wood in 1892, during the rule of King Norodom, who was apparently inspired by Bangkok's Wat Phra Keo; it was then rebuilt in 1962. The Silver Pagoda was preserved by the Khmer Rouge in order to demonstrate to the outside world its concern for the conservation of Cambodia's cultural riches. Although some 60% of the pagoda's contents were destroyed under Pol Pot, what remains is spectacular. This is one of the few places in all of Cambodia where objects embodying some of the brilliance and richness of Khmer civilization can still be viewed. The staircase leading to the Silver Pagoda is made of Italian marble. Inside, the Emerald Buddha, said to be made of Baccat crystal, sits on a gilt pedestal high atop the dais. In front of the dais. In front of the dais stands a life-size gold Buddha decorated with 9584 diamonds, the largest of which weighs 25 carats. Created in the palace workshops during 1906 and 1907, the gold Buddha weighs some 90kg. Directly in front of it, in a Formica case, is a miniature silver-and-gold Stupa containing a relic of Buddha brought from Sri Lanka. To the left is an 80kg bronze Buddha, and to the right a silver Buddha. On the far right, figurines of solid gold tell the story of the Buddha. Behind the dais is a standing marble Buddha from Myanmar (Burma) and a litter (portable bed), used by the king on coronation day and designed to be carried by 12 men; its gold parts weigh 23kg. To either side are silver models of king Norodom's stupa and Wat Preah Keo's library. At the back of the hall is a case containing two gold Buddha, each decorated with diamonds weighing up to 16 carats; the lower figure weighs 4.5kg, the upper 1.5kg.Along the walls of the pagoda are examples of extraordinary Khmer artisanship, including be-jeweled masks used in classical dance and dozens of solid and hollow gold Buddhas. The many precious gifts given to Cambodia's monarchs by foreign heads of state appear rather spiritless when displayed next to such diverse and exuberant Khmer art. The epic of the Ramayana (Sanskrit poem) is depicted on a colossal mural, created around 1900, painted on the wall enclosing the pagoda compound; the story begins just south of the east gate. Other structures in the complex (listed clockwise from the north gate) include the Mondap (library), which used to house richly illuminated sacred texts written on palm leaves; the shrine of King Norodom (ruled 1860-1904): an equestrian statue of King Norodom; the shrine of King Ang Duong (ruled 1845-59); a pavilion housing a huge footprint of the Buddha; Phnom Mondap, an artificial hill at the top of which is a structure containing a bronze footprint of the Buddha from Sri Lanka; a shrine dedicated to one of Prince Sihanouk's daughters; a pavilion for celebrations held by the royal family; the shrine of Prince Sihanouk's father, King Norodom Suramarit (ruled 1955-60); and a bell tower, whose bell is rung to order the gates to be opened or closed.
