Wat Phnom

វត្តភ្នំ

The place that gave Phnom Penh its name: in 1372, Lady Penh built a temple on this 27-meter hill to enshrine Buddha statues that had drifted ashore. Today it is a center for residents to pray, release birds, and take walks, with a French colonial-style circular park at its base.

Wat Phnom ('Hill Temple') is the origin and landmark of Phnom Penh. According to legend, in 1372 a wealthy widow named Penh found a drifting koki log on the Mekong River containing four Buddha statues. She raised a mound of earth and built a temple to enshrine them, and the place came to be called 'Penh's Hill' (Phnom Penh). Today this artificial hill, about 27 meters high, is the only high ground in the city center. The temple on top has been rebuilt many times, and the current main hall dates from 1926. Its murals depict the Jataka tales of the Buddha and the Ramayana. Behind the main Buddha image is a statue of Lady Penh. At the summit you'll also find the stupa of King Ponhea Yat, who established Phnom Penh as the capital in 1434, and a small shrine to Chinese deities, reflecting the blending of local Chinese and Khmer beliefs. Locals come here to pray for good luck, exam success, and love. You'll often see people releasing birds (buying birds to set free is a form of 'merit-making' business that environmentalists do not recommend supporting), offering flowers, and asking monks for blessings. At the base is a circular park with a large clock flower bed, surrounded by French colonial buildings, including the old post office and library area. In the evening, residents take walks, and sugarcane juice vendors set up. Foreigners pay an entrance fee of 1 US dollar, and it is open from about 7:00 to 18:00. Getting there: it is on the north side of the city center, a 10-to-15-minute walk from the riverside district, right next to the US Embassy. Tips: combine it with the riverside district and Central Market into a walking route of 30 to 45 minutes, and climb the hill in the evening to watch the sunset and city lights. Note: dress appropriately and remove your shoes before entering the temple. Monkeys on the hill will grab food and plastic bags. Fortune-tellers and bird sellers at the base can be politely declined.

Wat Phnom

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