Legend has it that the city of Phnom Penh was founded when an old woman named Penh discovered four images of Buddha that had come to rest on the banks of the Mekong River. She housed them on a nearby hill and the town that grew up here came to be known as Phnom Penh or “Hill of Penh”.
At times beautiful and charming, at times chaotic and unattractive. Phnom Penh is a city of contradictions indeed. Extreme poverty and traces of the past national tragedy are not unnoticeable. On the other hand, the town centre presents extraordinary architecture; monumental temples, golden pagodas, colonial mansions and tree-lined boulevards manifest the fact that this place was once known as the “Jewel of Indochina”.
These days, Phnom Penh is a mixture of strong religious tradition, cultural heritage and a fast-growing modernity with a distinct atmosphere and rare things to see. The famous Khmer hospitality blended with French legacy of cafes and patisseries awaits the visitors in the capital city of Cambodia.
