The Royal Palace Exemplifies Cambodia's Rich History

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Constructed over a century ago, the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was meant to serve as a residence for the king of Cambodia, an administrative office and as a place of accommodation for visiting foreign dignitaries. Today it is the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni and former King Norodom Sihanouk. The full name of The Royal Palace in Cambodian is Preah Barom Reachea Vaeng Chaktomuk. Kings of Cambodia occupied the palace and it was a symbol of the kingdom and a venue for elaborate court ceremonies until its disruption during the bloody Khmer Rouge regime.

The palace complex is divided into three main sections. Towards the north one can find the Silver Pagoda complex, towards the southwest is the Khemarin Palace and the central compound houses the Throne Hall. Being the most important area of the palace, the Throne Hall was referred to as the seat of judgment, where the king and his generals, ministers and trusted advisors made decisions on the future of the nation. Today it is used for religious and royal ceremonies such as weddings and coronations. The building is cross shaped with three vertical spires, the central spire rises 59 meters and is topped off with the white four faced figure of a Brahma.

The Silver Pagoda served as the temple of the royal family and is known to house many national treasures and historical artifacts such as jewel encrusted Buddha statues. The most eye-catching one being the life size Buddha statue made of crystal and encrusted with more than 9,000 diamonds. Prior to the Khmer Rouge regime the Pagoda was laid with 5,000 silver tiles and some parts were later remodeled with Italian marble.

The Khemarin Palace was the residence of the King and was separated from all other building by a wall; the building is topped off with a single tall spire. The Royal Palace is undoubtedly a treasure of the Far East and the best example of Cambodia's vibrant past. A number of Cambodia hotels are located in this area as it is a popular tourist attraction. Phnom Penh hotels offer comfortable accommodation for travelers that come to explore the mysterious beauty of the palace and other alluring attractions in the area.

Naveen Marasinghe is an Online Marketing Executive at eMarketingEye which is a search engine marketing company that offers integrated Internet marketing solutions and specializes in serving the online travel and hospitality industry. (http://www.emarketingeye.com/)

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