Phnom Penh: Art, Markets and History

Phnom Penh can be explored through very different places: the National Museum of Cambodia focuses on Khmer art and long stretches of history, while the Central Market, an Art Deco building, also houses a diverse range of goods. Wat Phnom adds another focal point with its wooded hill. Places that recall the country’s history add a serious historical chapter to these impressions.

Khmer Art at the National Museum of Cambodia

The National Museum of Cambodia is located north of the Royal Palace on Street 13 in central Phnom Penh. Its traditionally designed terracotta building was constructed between 1917 and 1920. The collection includes Khmer sculptures, ceramics and ethnographic objects from prehistoric times, as well as from the pre-Angkorian, Angkorian and post-Angkorian periods. Different types of objects are thus presented within a broad historical timeframe.

Tours can be arranged at the museum entrance for individuals or groups. They are offered in Khmer, English, French and Japanese. As arrangements and available languages may change, it is advisable to check the details on site.

Architecture and Goods at the Central Market

Phsa Thmei, also known as New Market or Central Market, is a dark yellow Art Deco building dating from 1935 to 1937. Its four wings house numerous stalls selling gold and silver jewelry, antique coins, clothing, watches, flowers, food, fabrics, shoes and luggage. The building’s design and its range of goods give the place two distinct aspects: visitors can focus both on the architecture and on the variety of items on offer.

This distinction can be useful when planning your trip: the market combines a clearly defined architectural theme with a wide range of goods. This makes it different from a museum visit, where collections and their historical context take center stage.

Wat Phnom and Historic Memorial Sites

Wat Phnom stands on a 27-meter-high, tree-covered hill. The main entrance is reached by a large eastern staircase lined with lions and Naga snake balustrades. The place described therefore includes not only the temple itself; the staircase and its figures are also a specific part of the approach.

The Independence Monument was built in 1958 and commemorates Cambodia’s independence from France, achieved in 1953. The two dates refer to different events: the construction of the monument and the independence it commemorates.

Another chapter in Phnom Penh’s history concerns Tuol Svay Prey High School. In 1975, Pol Pot’s security forces took it over and converted it into a prison called Security Prison 21 (S-21). It became the largest detention and torture center of its kind in the country. Phnom Penh is therefore home to different historical references: the memory of independence and the history of a detention and torture center. The two places should not, therefore, be categorized as similar attractions.

Use Your Interests as a Starting Point for Finding Hotels

If you are looking for hotels in Phnom Penh, the topics described can help structure your trip planning. The museum is about collections and historical periods, the Central Market about Art Deco architecture and goods, and Wat Phnom about the hill and its access staircase. The Independence Monument and the history of S-21, in turn, relate to different historical themes.

Explore more destinations: Phnom Penh, Kompong Chhnang, Svay Rieng, Kandal, Battambang, Takéo Province, Kampong Thom, Krong Preah Sihanouk

For the overview of the wider region: Cambodia.