Modelled on the central tower of Angkor Wat, Independence Monument was built in 1958 to commemorate the country’s independence from France in 1953. It also serves as a memorial to Cambodia’s war dead. Wreaths are laid here on national holidays.
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Independence Monument
Phnom Penh
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.88 MILES
In 1975 Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot’s security forces and turned into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21); it soon became…
Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre
19.61 MILES
This wonderful wildlife sanctuary for rescued animals is home to gibbons, sun bears, elephants, tigers, lions, deer, enormous pythons and a massive bird…
0.63 MILES
The National Museum of Cambodia is home to the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture: a millennium’s worth and more of masterful Khmer design…
0.48 MILES
Within the Royal Palace compound is this extravagant temple, also known as Wat Preah Keo or Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The Silver Pagoda is so named…
0.54 MILES
With its classic Khmer roofs and ornate gilding, the Royal Palace once dominated the skyline of Phnom Penh. It's a striking structure near the riverfront,…
5.28 MILES
Between 1975 and 1978, about 20,000 men, women, children and infants who had been detained and tortured at S-21 prison were transported to the…
1.03 MILES
A landmark building in the capital, the art deco Psar Thmei (literally 'New Market') is often called the Central Market, a reference to its location and…
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2.29 MILES
Cambodia finally got a sizable contemporary arts space in 2019, when Kbach moved into three galleries covering 400 sq metres of Factory Phnom Penh. The…
Nearby Phnom Penh attractions
0.1 MILES
A colourful Buddhist temple in the heart of the city (near Independence Monument) that was established as a sanctuary for holy writings.
0.12 MILES
This impressive statue shows the legendary former king/prime minister/statesman King Father Norodom Sihanouk, who died a national hero in 2012.
0.29 MILES
This Buddhist temple with saffron-coloured robes flapping in the wind is particularly photogenic. It's located opposite Wat Botum Park.
4. Cambodia–Vietnam Friendship Monument
0.35 MILES
This optimistically named monument was built to a Vietnamese (and rather communist) design in 1979. Concerts are often held in the park, which springs to…
5. Pavilion for Royal Celebrations
0.44 MILES
The royal family celebrate important festivals in the Khmer calendar in this pavilion.
6. Shrine of King Norodom Suramarit
0.44 MILES
This is the shrine of King Norodom Suramarit, the father of King Sihanouk who reigned from 1955 to 1960 following his son's abdication from the throne.
7. Shrine of Princess Kantha Bopha
0.46 MILES
This shrine is dedicated to Kantha Bopha, one of former King Father Sihanouk’s daughters, who died of leukemia when she was just four years old. There are…
0.46 MILES
The bell of this tower is rung to order the gates of the Royal Palace compound to be opened or closed.