The Royal Palace of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, Cambodia serves as the royal residence of the King of Cambodia. The palace sits on a large area close to western bank of the confluence of the Tonle Sap River and the Mekong River with a number of buildings inside the complex. Since the 1860’s the Cambodian monarchs have occupied the palace except for the period of turmoil in the country during and after the Khmer Rouge reign.
The palace was initially built between 1860 and 1870 and then rebuilt between 1912 and 1932. The buildings have distinctive Thai architecture with a large Throne Hall, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Preah Keo Morakat), numerous stupas and spires and some beautiful colourful murals on the inside walls.
The Throne Hall is where the King’s confidants, generals and royal officials would carry out their duties and it is still in use today for religious and royal ceremonies as well as a meeting place for the King’s guests.
The Napoleon Pavilion is a prefabricated cast iron villa made for King Norodom by the Paris firm of Docros in 1875. During the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th it was known as the maison de fer, or Iron House;
The Silver Pagoda is a large compound on the south side of the palace complex and features the royal temple called Preah Vihear Preah Keo Morakot and it houses many national treasures such as gold and jewelled Buddha statues.
Throne Hall
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