The Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh is situated to the southern direction of the Royal Palace and was formerly known as the Wat Ubosoth Ratanram. The official name given to this temple is Preah Viheaar Preah Morokot. The Silver Pagoda houses a lot of national treasures including Buddha Statues and gold. Out of the many jeweled statues the most prominent is the crystal Buddha which belongs to the 17th century. In Cambodia this significant Buddha Statue is known as the Emerald Buddha. When you enter the temple you would come across a life size statue of Maitreya Buddha which is embedded with 95684 diamonds.
This breathtaking figure was built in the temple itself during the years 1906 and 1907. When King Norodom Sihanouk ruled Cambodia this fascinating temple was laid with over 5000 tiles made of silver with some of it modified with Italian marble. It is disappointing that only a very little of these silver tiles are visible to the public. This Buddhist temple is the temple of royalty or the shrine of the King of Cambodia. The temple got the name Silver Pagoda because of its Silver Tiles. You would notice while you explore the holy place more, a case made of Formica housing a miniature stupa made of gold and silver bearing the relic of Buddha brought to Cambodia from Sri Lanka. You will also come across statues made of pure and solid gold which tells the tale of Lord Buddha. Other than religious artifacts the Silver Pagoda is home to a huge number of gifts received from the Royal Family throughout the long years.
In the shrine there is a compound which has the Wat Phnom Mondap which the Buddha’s foot mark. The oldest feature of the Silver Pagoda is the wall surrounding the temple which is covered with frescoes telling the Ramayana in the Khmer version. For those travelers on holiday to Phnom Penh can have a great time if they select a good hotel in Phnom Penh that has the best holiday deals. Raffles Hotel Le Royal is a renowned Phnom Penh hotel and is certain that you would have a fun filled vacation.
