Wat Phnom
North end of Norodom Blvd.
Hours: 7:00AM-6:00PM
Admission: $1.00/person
marks the legendary founding place of Phnom Penh.
The hill is the site of constant activity with a steady stream of the faithful trekking to the vihear, shrines and fortune tellers at the top, and a constellation of vendors, visitors and motodups at the bottom of the hill. The legend of the founding of Wat Phnom is tied to the beginnings of the city itself. Story has it that in 1372
Lady Penh (Yea Penh) fished a floating Koki tree out of the river. Inside the tree were four Buddha statues. To house the Buddhas, she built a hill (‘phnom’ means ‘hill’) and a small temple (wat) at this site. Later, the surrounding area became known after the hill (Phnom) and its creator (Penh), hence the name of the city ‘Phnom Penh.’ The current temple was last rebuilt in 1926. The towering stupa contains the remains of King Ponhea Yat (1405-1467) who moved the Khmer capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh the early 15th century. Look for the altar of Lady Penh between the stupa and the vihear. She is said to be of particular help to women.
