Top 5 places to visit in Phnom Penh (our top 5)
1- Choeung Ek - One of the infamous killing fields - 17,000 people died here (mentioned in the previous post). When you pay your entrance fee you are given earphones that tells of the horrific history.
2- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - A former Khmer Rouge High School turned into a prison. In 1975 this High School was turned into a prison know as the Security Prison but this was far from truth! It became the largest centre of detention and torture in the country, between 1975-1978 more then 17,000 people were held here at S-21.
Much like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge Leaders were detailed at keeping records of their inhuman acts. Almost all the women, men and children that had photographed here were tortured then later murdered, including several foreigners. We did not hire a guide here but wish that we would have to understand more of it's history although very grim.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum
3- Royal Palace of Phnom Penh - In the Royal Palace walls is the stunning Silver Pagoda, the floor alone is covered in 5 tons of gleaming silver. Amongst the extravagant floor is the gleaming Baccarat-Crystal Buddha which sits atop an impressive gilded pedestal. There is also a Life Sized solid gold Buddha and is adorned with 2086 diamonds... it is over the top and lavish.
Where ever we traveled everyone we met had personal stories of how their lives were effected because of the "Killing Fields". Our tour guide told us his brother, who was a teacher, was buried alive and that his parents were tortured so that now he must take care of them and their deformities.
4- Wat Phnom- Built on the only hill in Phnom Penh - Wat phnom is atop the only hill in town. The Legend has it that the first pagoda was erected on this site in 1373 to hold four statues of Buddha left here by the water of Mekong River and discovered by Penh. The entrance is guarded by Naga (a mythical serpent) and lions balustrades.
This is a popular place for the people to pray for good luck and success whether in school or business affairs. When the wish is granted, the faithful return to deliver a gift. We noticed piles of money and fruit setting in different areas of the temple, as a thank you. We noted one particular pile that was of probably 1,000 bills. We learned later that they sometimes use fake notes to show what they WOULD do, if they could.
5- Wat Ounalom - Founded in 1443, this headquarters of Cambodian buddhism, is comprised of 44 structures. During Pol Pot's reign it was badly battered but is now back to it's glory. Many monks and the head of the country's Buddhist Brotherhood call this home. There is a statue of Huot Tat, on the 2nd floor, who was the fourth patriarch of Cambodian Buddism, who was killed by Pol Pot. The statue was made when he was 80 years old and thrown away by the Khmer Rouge to show that that Buddism was no longer a driving force in Cambodia. The statue was later retrieved after the war and set by the royal families statues.
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