Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Oudong in 1863. Indeed, the current Royal Palace, of
cial residence of
King Sihamoni
,
dates back less than a hundred years, with most of the buildings having been
reconstructed in concrete in the early twentieth century. Even so, the complex is well
worth a visit for its classic Khmer architecture, its ornate gilding and its tranquil
French-style landscaped gardens. The Silver Pagoda - ringed by a mythological
muralled wall - is a particular highlight for its elaborate silver-tiled floor and priceless
Buddha statues.
ESSENTIALS
Location
The entrance to the complex is on Sothearos
Blvd, between streets 240 & 184.
Opening hours
Daily 8-11am & 2-5pm; to do the
complex justice you'll need at least 2hr, but note that the
staff start to close up 30min before the actual closing time.
Entry fee
$6.50 or 25,000 riel, inclusive of camera fee.
Route
From the palace entrance you're routed in an anti-
clockwise direction, visiting first the royal buildings and
finally the Silver Pagoda.
Restrictions
The royal residence itself is always closed to
the public. On occasions, the Throne Hall is closed for royal
receptions and when the king has a meeting with his
ministers.
Dress code
You must dress appropriately to be admitted:
knees and elbows must be covered, and you are not
allowed to wear hats or carry a (full-size) backpack.
Guides
English-speaking guides can be hired by the ticket
o
ce for a whopping $10, but they provide a wealth of
information, not just on the palace and pagoda, but also
Buddhist and Khmer culture.
Photography
Not permitted inside the Throne Hall or the
Silver Pagoda.
Eating and drinking
There are a couple of pricey
refreshment stalls.
Shopping
A shop on the site sells expensive silk, postcards
and silver pieces.
Royal Palace
When visiting the
Royal Palace
, you may find that one or two of the royal buildings are
either cordoned off or no longer on display (at the time of writing the
Pavilion of
Napoleon III
was the latest to close for refurbishments, with an inconclusive opening
date). There's still plenty to see, but if there's something you're particularly interested in
then make sure to check with the guides at the entrance for the latest on any closures.
The Victory Gate
Entering the pristine outer gardens dotted with topiary trees takes you towards the
Victory Gate
, which
opens onto Sothearos Boulevard and faces the entrance steps to the
KING SIHAMONI
Dancer, teacher, artistic director and United Nations representative,
Norodom Sihamoni
(born
1953) - son of the late
Norodom Sihanouk
and his seventh wife Monineath, and his name
made up from the first four letters of each of their names - was elected to be Cambodia's king
by the Throne Council in October 2004 on the surprise abdication of his father. Most of
Sihamoni's life was spent outside Cambodia: from the age of 9 he was educated in Prague
where he learned dance, music and theatre; he later studied cinematography in Korea.
In fact, other than his early childhood, the three years he spent
imprisoned
with his family
in Phnom Penh during the Khmer Rouge years was the longest he spent in the country until
becoming king. On the arrival of the Vietnamese, the royal family went into
exile
and for a year
Sihamoni acted as private secretary to his father, but from 1980 he was in Paris (where he
spent the next twenty years) as a professor of classical dance. From 1992, Sihamoni was
Cambodia's permanent representative at the United Nations, and in 1993 he became its
UNESCO ambassador
- resigning both positions on becoming king. Sharing his father's love
of cinema, Sihamoni was also director general of a production company, Khemara Pictures,
and has a couple of ballet films to his credit. The king is a bachelor and keeps a lower profile
than his late father. As yet he hasn't done anything to excite the media, though he is seen
around the country and seems well regarded by his subjects.
