Phnom Penh City
Old
city of Cambodia, established in 1431
when Ancient Capital of Angkor was
abandoned. According to a legend, Phnom
Penh was erected at the confluence of
Mekong and Tonle Sap River by Madam Don
Penh who was a noble woman. She had
found a flooded tree’s trunk which
floated from Mekong River at her River
bank. A hill was built up for installing
the 4 Buddha statues which were found on
the trunk. The temple which sheltered
the statues on the top of the hill was
called
Wat Phnom Don Penh. Later on
it was shortened and called Phnom Penh
as Wat Phnom Don Penh was found to be
too long. It is presently used as an
official name for the capital of the
kingdom of Cambodia.
The
master plan and the old buildings were
built during the French time
(1863-1953). Industries, factories,
stadium, markets, Royal palace are the
remains after the destruction during the
Khmer Rouge (1975-1979). The city was
abandoned for almost 4 years, it was a
ghost city. Fortunately, the city has
been liberated from Khmer Rouge in 1979
and it gradually changed. The
infrastructure, houses, official
buildings, markets, shops, and factories
were renovated and built to develop the
city.
Phnom Penh is the most
beautiful French colonial town in
Indochina and a fast developing city in
the world. Roads, public gardens,
underground drains are mainly restored
in this town. It serves as the
administration center and the commercial
center of the country.
New
sister towns “Camco City” and “Koh
Pich island City” and many other towns
are under construction. Phnom Penh city
is now a safe place for tourists. It is
also a transit town for the other most
attractive places of Cambodia, such as
Angkor Wat temple at Siem Reap about 318
Km, Sihanouk Ville province with beaches
for relaxing about 240 km and Ratanakiri
where the ethnic Khmer live.
Siem
Reap Phnom Penh Tours 4 Days