Silver Pagoda

CAMBODIA, Phnom Penh

The official name of the temple is Wat Preah Keo Morakot, which is named after the valuable Emerald Buddha enshrined within the temple and is therefore also called Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It is generally known as the Silver Pagoda due to the silver tiles that cover the floor. It is located within the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh and is a temple for the royal family. It was built between 1892 and 1902 by King Norodom I (reigned 1860–1904). The temple was later damaged and reconstructed in 1962 under the direction of King Norodom Sihanouk (reigned 1941–1955, 1993–2004).
The primary buildings in the complex consist of the main hall, as well as several stupas, small shrines, and pavilions. The main hall has a hip-and-gable roof with overlapping roofs and triple eaves. The upper roof is steep, while the lower eaves have a gentler slope. There are two main and two auxiliary pediments. The pediments contain reliefs of religious images, while the ridges and edges of the eaves are adorned with nagas and garudas. At the center of the main roof ridge there is a golden stupa surmounted by a very tall, thin finial. The hall is surrounded by a veranda, with porticos at the front and back along with steps made from Italian marble. The window frames are stupa-shaped. The floor within the hall is laid with over 5,000 silver tiles, weighing around 6 t in total. The columns are covered with glass imported from Italy. The 17th century Emerald Buddha statue is enshrined in the center of the hall. In front of the Emerald Buddha there is a 90 kg gold Buddha statue encrusted with thousands of diamonds, dating from 1906. The hall houses 1,650 valuable works of art.
Royal funerary stupas are scattered around the temple grounds. A 642 m long mural lines the gallery along the boundary wall. It was produced in 1903 and depicts the Khmer version of Ramayana.