No visit to the capital city of Phnom Penh in Cambodia would be complete without a visit to the Royal Palace. This is an awe-inspiring and truly beautiful complex that is steeped in history and will fill you with a wonderful sense of peace. The palace was built upon an old citadel and is conveniently located for visitors to take a look around, being just off of the popular Sisowath Quay area of the city.

The Royal Palace is certainly a youngster in terms of royal establishments that can be found around the globe. When King Norodom changed the capital city of the country from Oudong to Phnom Penh, this magnificent structure began to take form. The work started in 1886 and over the following ten years, buildings were added to make it the amazing complex that we see today.

There are essentially only three areas of the palace that are not accessible to tourists and visitors. It is worth remembering that the Royal palace is still in use by the King and the rest of the Royal Family. The buildings that are closed to the public are the Khemarin palace (where the King lives!), the Villa Kantha Bopha (private villas for guests of the royal family) and the Damnak Chan administrative offices.

Probably the most famous building that attracts visitors to the Royal Palace is the Silver Pagoda. This is a Wat that is so named thanks to the beautiful silver tiled floor within its walls. There are many royal ceremonies held in the Silver Pagoda and it is home to many Buddha artefacts, including the precious Emerald Buddha. Strangely for a pagoda, no monks live within it but they do meet the King there! There are several buildings that are linked to the Silver Pagoda as well as a wonderfully intricate model of Angkor Wat.

The Throne Hall that currently stands is the second one to have been built at the palace. The first was made of wood and was demolished in 1915 and the present one erected in 1917. The Throne Hall is where all coronations and diplomatic meetings are held. It is a wonderful building for keen photographers as it is beautiful on the exterior, particularly in the late afternoon and the 59 metre spire that tops the building is very impressive indeed.
 
The Chanchhaya Pavilion is a magnificent building that again is a second version of an original wooden one! The current pavilion has been modelled on the original design and dominates the façade of the Royal Palace on the side nearest the Mekong River. The open air pavilion was originally used as a dance conservatory; it is currently used by the royal family as a venue for banquets and public addresses.

The Hor Samran Phirun or “The pavilion where one sleeps peacefully” is the royal rest house. It is home to musical instruments, a display of gifts from foreign heads of state and procession necessities. This pavilion is where the king mounts his elephants for processions. A similar building is the Hor Samrith Phimean, the “Bronze Palace”, where regalia and costumes are kept.

Probably the most unique feature of the Royal Palace is the Napoleon III Pavilion. It looks very out of place at first glance, particularly in architectural style. In fact, this was the first permanent structure built on the site and was erected for Napoleon III’s wife. The French king gave the pavilion as a gift to King Norodom in 1876 and is especially noted for the “N” emblazoned on the doors and other parts of the building.

Finally, there is the Pochani Pavilion; this building was originally used as a dance theatre but is now used by the current royal family as a place for receptions and meetings. As you can see, there are plenty of wonderful and interesting things to see at the Royal Palace. On top of this are well-kept, lush green gardens with various plants and flowers. Admission to the Royal Palace costs US$2; it is open from 8am until 11.30am and 2pm until 5pm from Tuesday to Sunday.