| The Royal Palace was built in 1866 under the
rule of King Norodom on the site of the Banteay Kev, a citadel
built in 1813. Cambodia was then a French protectorate. Most
impressive is the Throne Hall (Prasat Tevea Vinichhay) where kings
and queens are crowned and where other ceremonial celebrations take place. The building on the side of Sothearos boulevard is the Chan Chhaya.
The Royal dance performers train in its big hall. In front of the Chan
Chhaya, there is a platform from where the king participates in public
celebrations such as the water festival and where he can hold audiences
with his subjects and officials of all levels.
The Napoleon III pavilion was given to King Norodom by Empress
Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III who opened the Suez Canal. The French
building was brought to Cambodia and reassembled here.
Other buildings inside the Royal palace are the prasat Khemarin
in which the monarch lives and the prasat Samran Phirum where the
monarchs ride the Royal Elephant.
The royal complex also holds the Silver pagoda (Wat Preah Keo
Moroakot
or the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha) with a
display of valuable objects. 5,329 genuine silver tiles cover the floor, which is
from where it got its English name. Formerly it was known as Wat Uborsoth
Rotannaram because it was the pagoda where the king prayed and practised
every Buddhist Silas day. H.R.H. the King Father Norodom Sihanouk lived in
this pagoda for one year when on 31 July 1947 he entered monkhood.
Otherwise, the pagoda has no monks. When the king celebrates Buddhist
ceremonies, monks from other pagodas, such as Wat Unalam and Wat
Botumvattey are invited to attend the ceremonies. |
The centre of the pagoda houses a 17th century small emerald Buddha
made of baccarat crystal which Cambodians call Keo Morakot, hence its
current Khmer name. The Buddha sits on top of a throne in the centre of
the pagoda. In front is a solid gold Buddha, weighing 90 kilograms and encrusted with
2,086 diamonds. The biggest diamond is the one in the crown (25
millimetres). The figure was commissioned in 1904 by king Sisowath
following the suggestion of king Norodom. It is made from his melted down
gold casket in which he was cremated. On either side are
numerous smaller Buddha statues, one of which is covered with 1,000 diamonds.
Two dozen cabinets along the perimeter are filled with a myriad of
gifts to King Norodom and successive kings from other royalty and
dignitaries. One glass cabinet contains some ashes of the Buddha. These
ashes were brought from Sri Lanka in 1956 by Samdech Head Monk Lvea Em,
who stayed in Wat Lanka in Phnom Penh. The temple is surrounded by a
lofty gallery on the walls of which you can admire paintings of the entire
Ream Ke epic (the Khmer version of the Indian Ramayana). The compound further houses
Phnom Mondul (Phnom Khan Malineati Borapat Kailasha), a manmade
hill that represents Kailasha mountain, where the Buddha left his
footprints on the stone. On the Phnom, you will find a statue of the
Buddha, surrounded by 108 small figures that represent the 108 blessings
of life before the Buddha reached enlightenment. Footprints of the four
Buddhas that have already lived can be found in the Keung Preah Bat.
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