Description of the attraction
Wat Phnom - the Buddhist "Temple of Horus", rising above Phnom Penh by 27 meters, was erected on the top of the city's hill, overgrown with greenery. Legend has it that the first place of worship at this site was built in 1373 to house four Buddha statues thrown out by the waters of the Mekong River and found by Lady Pen.
A pompous staircase leads to the central entrance to Wat Phnom, which is guarded by figures of lions and nagas, placed on both sides of the balustrade. The vihara (temple sanctuary) was reconstructed several times - in the middle of the 15th century, early and late 19th, the last time - in 1926. To the west of the vihara there is a large stupa with the remains of the monarch Ponhei Yata (1405-67). Between the vihara and the stupa, there is a statue of the smiling Lady Pen, installed in a pavilion on the south side of the walkway.
Both sides of the passage to the central altar are guarded by statues of guardian spirits with metal bats. Inside the main altar is a large bronze statue of a seated Buddha surrounded by sculptures, flowers, candles and offerings. The walls are covered with paintings, the main plot is the stories of Jataka about the early reincarnations of the Buddha before he became enlightened. There are also murals depicting stories from Reimker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana. In the chamber to the right of the statue are the figures of the Chinese sages Than Cheng and Than Tae.
In the northwest corner of the complex, down from the vihara, there is a small museum with old statues and historical artifacts. There you can also see the bizarre sanctuary of the Preau Chau genie, which is especially revered by the Vietnamese.
Locals come to Wat Phnom to ask for good luck, patronage and success in school exams or business, and if the wish comes true, they bring the promised donation, for example, a garland of flowers or a branch of bananas.
