Royal Palace of Cambodia - Secret residence of the King

The Royal Palace of Cambodia is known as the "Jewel" of Phnom Penh city. The palace makes a strong impression with its magnificent beauty, from the architecture imbued with Cambodian national identity to the surrounding landscape. Not only that, the palace is also the residence of the king and royal family. At the same time, this is where royal and national ceremonies take place. If you have the opportunity to come to Cambodia, you must definitely visit this Royal Palace!

Introduction to the Royal Palace of Cambodia

The Royal Palace of Cambodia is a complex of buildings built in the last century by King Norodom I. Today, the palace has become a place to welcome foreign guests as well as organize court meetings and diplomatic ceremonies. .

The Royal Palace of Cambodia's full name is Preah Barom Reachea Vaeng Chaktomuk. It can be said that the royal palace plays an important role for the Cambodian people in general. Because, they always have a special feeling of respect for the King and their royal family.

According to historical records, the Royal Palace of Cambodia was built after King Norodom I decided to move the capital to Phnom Penh in 1866. This milestone marked an important turning point in Cambodian history and culture until now. Nowadays. The palace is not only a residence to serve the royal family's living needs but also plays a role in diplomacy. The palace is used as a place to entertain guests from abroad or to hold Royal ceremonies.

Address of the Royal Palace of Cambodia: Samdach Sothearos Blvd, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

History of the formation of the Royal Palace of Cambodia

The Royal Palace of Cambodia officially began construction in 1866, after King Norodom I officially moved the capital from Oudong to Phnom Penh. By 1871, the first complete palace was built. However, it took another two years for the wall surrounding the palace to be completed. At this time, the entire royal palace complex was officially completed.

Many years later, a number of other architectural works in the palace complex were continued to be built or completely destroyed to build new ones. Among them, the most prominent are the Chanchaya Palace and the stateroom. Although it has existed for nearly 200 years, all architectural works in the palace complex are still preserved intact to this day.

Architecture of the Royal Palace of Cambodia

The entire royal palace is separated by a wall and exquisite sculptures. The Royal Palace of Cambodia is an extremely sophisticated and perfect combination of modern and traditional architectural styles. Therefore, this place has the feeling of luxury and splendor of a European castle but still has a hint of ancient serenity.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Royal Palace is a typical building built in the ancient Khmer architectural style that is difficult to find today. The project is carefully crafted and built according to architectural standards, to the point of exceeding expectations.

Besides, the royal palace complex also owns many unique monuments and architectural works. Among them, the most typical is the colorful royal garden of all kinds of precious flowers. Thanks to that, it further enhances the noble, magnificent, but no less romantic and poetic beauty of this place.

Currently, the Royal Palace of Cambodia is divided into many different areas with specific function, such as:

•Stateroom (Preah Thineang Vinnichay - Saint of Judgment): This is the residence of kings and mandarins holding court.

•Chanchhaya stage: Where the king will deliver lectures as well as banquets to welcome distinguished guests.

•Phochani Palace: This place was built for the purpose of royal dance activities

Main attractions in the royal palace complex

Currently, the Cambodian royal family still lives and works in the Royal Palace of Cambodia. Therefore, this entire area is not open to visitors. Instead, visitors can only visit certain architectural works in the palace complex. Below are some interesting attractions that tourists can visit.

Golden Pagoda - Silver Pagoda

Most visitors wonder why a temple has two names? The root cause stems from the materials used to build the temple. According to Western tourists, they often call it Silver Pagoda because the pagoda has more than 5,000 bricks made from solid silver. As for Asian tourists, they prefer to call it the Golden Temple because the temple has a Buddha statue cast in pure gold, weighing up to 90 kg.

It can be said that this golden Buddha statue has both material and spiritual value for Buddhist believers. More than that, there are up to 2,100 precious diamonds cast into the statue, each up to 20 carats. Therefore, the Buddha statue at the Golden Temple attracts a large number of tourists to visit and worship.

Chanchhaya stage

Chanchhaya stage is an anticipated destination for every visitor to the Royal Palace. Chanchhaya stage is also known as the Moonlight stage, with the front facing Sothearos street. This stage is also where royal dance and music performances take place. At the same time, this is also the stage for the king to speak before the people.

Stateroom

In Khmer, the stateroom is known as Preah Thineang Vinnichay (Saint of Judgment). The king's throne is perhaps the room's most unique feature. This structure is still utilized today for formal functions, diplomatic meetings, and religious gatherings.

Flower garden

If you are too tired from the long journey, you should stop and relax at the flower garden! This place grows many rare and highly valuable flowers. Right from the entrance of the flower garden, you can easily see the sala tree - a tree associated with the life of Buddha Shakyamuni. If you go a little slower, you will have the opportunity to admire many other rare trees such as the yellow scorpion tree and the hundred-year-old sycamore tree.

The best time to visit the Cambodian royal palace?

Similar to Vietnam, Cambodia also has two main seasons: rainy season and dry season. The rainy season in Cambodia lasts from June to November and there is a lot of rain, accounting for 80% of the year. Therefore, visitors need to check the weather forecast before going to any tourist destination in Cambodia.

Although the dry season in Cambodia is quite hot, it is a favorable time to travel. The dry season in Cambodia will start from November to February next year. During this time, the weather is relatively cool and pleasant

However, tourists should limit their travel to Cambodia from March to May. Because this is when the weather in Cambodia is relatively hot, causing fatigue and discomfort. But tourists can consider coming to Cambodia in April to experience the festival season in Cambodia.

How much is the entrance ticket to the Royal Palace of Cambodia?

Ticket price to visit the Royal Palace of Cambodia is only from 40,000 VND/person. This is a relatively cheap price, suitable for all budgets. In addition, the Royal Palace is open from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors can follow these two time frames to facilitate travel and sightseeing.

Experience traveling to the Royal Palace of Cambodia

To fully enjoy the tour, visitors should note some of the following experiences:

•Visitors should dress historically, discreetly, and solemnly. In addition, you should avoid wearing slippers when entering the palace. Absolutely do not wear too short skirts or too thin clothes when visiting the palace.

•Visitors are not allowed to take photos with artifacts in the palace.

•Do not touch the Buddha statue or take actions that offend the Royal Family.

•Avoid talking loudly or laughing loudly in the sightseeing area.

•If you bring a camera or camcorder, you will pay an additional fee of 2 dollars.

Above is detailed information about the Royal Palace of Cambodia. Hopefully, with this useful knowledge, you will have another attractive destination when you have the opportunity to visit the "Land of Pagodas and Towers - Cambodia.". If you want to travel to Cambodia, choose the best travel agency in Vietnam. Depending on your preferences and financial limits, we may adjust your timetable, and we can arrange everything from ticket purchases to hotel and transportation reservations. Visit our website or call us right now to learn more about our amazing deals and packages. You should not miss the chance to visit Cambodia with Threeland Travel!