A last look

This French-colonial inspired exhibit can be found in the costume museum in the annex. The main figure is King Sisowath I believe but if you know more, please tell me.

I will conclude the posts from my recent visit to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, with a few snaps from the grounds of the latter. I have already covered the Silver Pagoda itself and the wall frescoes in some detail. Now for some of the other sights to be found. The main building to visit is of course the Silver Pagoda itself, with its silver tiles, countless statues and cultural treasures. No pictures inside and take your shoes off. Surrounding it are a number of stupas in memory of members of the royal family, other shrines, a small hill called Phnom Mondop and a collection of small museums and exhibitions in the courtyard that runs along Street 240.

Two of the royal stupas, closest is that of King Ang Duong, farthest away is his son, King Norodom

A model of Angkor Wat, that sits behind the Silver Pagoda building

An equestrian statue of King Norodom, completed in 1875 and unveiled in 1892. Believed to have actually began life as a statue of French Emperor Napoleon III.

This giant footprint of Buddha can be found in Keong Preah Bath, a shrine which contains other footprints and statues

Here's a few of the other statues to be found in the Keong Preah Bath shrine

There are at least two Neak Ta inhabiting small shrines cut into the sacred small hill of Phnom Mondop

This is the Banteay Srei-inspired stupa of Princess Kantha Bopha who passed away in 1952 at the tender age of four

These are the statues and wall panel at the rear of the Dhammasala, which monks use on special occasionsA silver-plated exhibit you can see in the White Elephant hall, which houses items used in the coronation

In real danger

A giant Reahoo monster on the Reamker frescoes at the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh

A perfect illustration of the damage caused to the lower half of the frescoes at the Silver Pagoda

The frescoes of the Silver Pagoda remain in dire straits. Weather and water infiltration damage, as well as harmful paint spraying have taken their toll on the 642 metres of beautiful murals that cover the interior of the pagoda compound walls. Much of the lower section on all of the three-metre high murals has been lost and the damage is irreparable, despite efforts from a Polish restoration team between 1985-1993 that has at least saved what remains today, though the project ran out of money and ended prematurely. Further restoration is necessary but funding remains the key. Depicting stories from the Reamker, the Khmer version of the classic Indian epic known as the Ramayana, the frescoes were painted in 1903 and 1904 by a team of forty students under the tutelage of Vichite Chea and the architect of the Silver Pagoda, Oknha Tep Nimit Mak. The stories, which were modeled on the Thai Ramakien murals at the royal palace in Bangkok, which in turn were influenced by the bas-reliefs at Angkor Wat, start at the east gate and include murals of the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda itself. The story itself ends on a happy note when Rama and Sita are reunited, and differs from the original Indian epic.

Palace scenes abound on the murals at the Silver Pagoda

More Palace scenes from the Reamker story

Another example of the damage caused to the frescoes

Almost a third of the galleries containing the frescoes are used for temporary storage areas

The intricate murals were painted between 1903-1904

A battle to the death is part of the Reamker storyline

This royal palace scene remains untouched whilst all around is destruction

Careless paint spraying has ruined this section of the murals

Another beautiful scene partly scarred by the water and damp damage to the frescoes

Restoration work by a Polish team saved this section of the frescoes in the 1980s

A close-up of three courtesans shows the damage to the intricately-painted frescoes

Wat Preah Keo Morokat

The Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh from the southeast corner

As I'm not allowed to take photos inside the Silver Pagoda, here's a few from outside and from different angles. In a break from my football posts, this is one of the crown jewels in Phnom Penh, Wat Preah Keo Morokat, better known to all as the Silver Pagoda, in respect of the 5,329 silver tiles that cover its floor. Its also known for its Emerald Buddha, made of Baccarat crystal, a 90kg gold Buddha encrusted with thousands of diamonds and many other priceless statues and objects, though as with many things in Cambodia, the signage is pretty awful in explaining what you are looking at. The building itself was constructed in wood in 1892 and renovated in 1962. In the same compound are a number of stupas, shrines and wall paintings, or frescoes, that tell the story of the Reamker. More of that later, for now, enjoy the Silver Pagoda.

A view of the northwest corner of the Silver Pagoda

The western (back) entrance to the Silver Pagoda, together with the miniature replica of Angkor Wat

The Silver Pagoda from the southwest corner

The northeast view of the Silver Pagoda

Looking at the Silver Pagoda from the southeast, you can see the spires rising from the Royal Palace are behind