Cambodia: Phnom Penh – Royal Palace
Royal Palace is by far the biggest attraction in Phnom Penh. It’s a massive walled compound right in the heart of the city, built in 1866, when King Norodom made Phnom Penh the country’s capital. The palace grounds are further broken by walls into four parts, two of which are open for tourists daily, while the other two are where the King lives. The classic Khmer architecture buildings are beautiful with tons of statues and carvings, spires in the roof, and shiny gold paint. The central and largest building is the Throne Hall. The grounds of the nearby second quarter are studded with pagodas, the largest of which – Silver Pagoda – is purely stunning with elaborate decorations. The palace is very impressive and atmospheric, albeit crowded with mostly Chinese tourists roaming in massive loud groups armed to the teeth with selfie sticks and unbridled desire to photograph themselves in front of anything and everything.
