Description of the attraction
A special attraction of the territory of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, open to the public, is the Silver Pagoda (or Wat Preah Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha). The service temple of the ruler of Cambodia received this name due to the floor covering, consisting of several thousand polished silver plates, with a total weight of more than five tons. When visiting a Buddhist temple, only a small part of the precious floor can be seen, most of it covered with a carpet for protection.
The first pagoda was wooden, erected in 1892, during the reign of King Norodom Sihanouk, it was reconstructed in 1962. The Khmer Rouge saved the temple to demonstrate to the outside world that they care about Cambodia's cultural wealth, although more than half of the contents of the pagoda have been lost, stolen or destroyed. Along the walls of the pagoda are examples of unusual Khmer handicrafts, including elaborate masks used in classical dance and dozens of golden Buddhas.
The walls of the pagoda complex are plastered and decorated with a 1900 fresco depicting scenes and characters from the Indian Ramayana. The staircase leading to the Silver Pagoda is made of Italian marble.
Among the many valuable exhibits stored in the temple and the monastery complex, the pearl of the collection is considered the extraordinary sculpture "Emerald Buddha" made of French baccarat crystal in the form of a deity sitting on a gilded pedestal. Another impressive exhibit is the Golden Buddha, encrusted with 2,086 faceted diamonds, the largest of which weighs 25 carats. A work of art weighing 90 kg was made in 1906-1907 by court craftsmen. Directly in front of the statue is a miniature mortar made of silver and gold, on the left is a bronze Buddha weighing 80 kg, and on the right is a silver Buddha, as well as high-standard gold bas-reliefs and miniatures illustrating the life of the Buddha.
