Fodor's Expert Review Royal Palace

A walled complex that covers several blocks near the river, the official residence of current King Sihamoni and former residence of the late King Sihanouk and Queen Monineath Sihanouk (who also still lives here), is a 1913 reconstruction of the timber palace built in 1866 by the former King Norodom. The residential areas of the palace located to the west are strictly off limits to the public, but within the pagoda-style compound are several structures worth visiting, including Wat Preah Keo Morokat, aka the Silver Pagoda; the Throne Hall, with a tiered roof topped by a 200-foot-tall tower; and a pavilion donated by the Emperor Napoléon III and shipped here from France. 

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, built from 1892 to 1902 and renovated in 1962, is one of Phnom Penh's greatest attractions. It's referred to as the Silver Pagoda because of the 5,329 silver tiles—more than 5 tons of pure silver—that make up the floor in the main vihear (temple hall). At the back of the vihear is the venerated Preah Keo Morokat (Emerald Buddha)—some say it's carved from jade, whereas others maintain that it's Baccarat crystal. In front of the altar is a 200-pound solid-gold Buddha studded with 2,086 diamonds. Displayed in a glass case are the golden offerings donated by Queen Kossomak Nearyreath in 1969; gifts received by the royal family over the years are stored in other glass cases. The gallery walls surrounding the temple compound are covered with murals depicting scenes from the Indian epic, the Ramayana. Pride of place outside is given to a bronze statue of King Norodom on horseback, completed in Paris in 1875 and brought here in 1892.