Phnom Penh, Capital city in Cambodia
Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia and spreads along three rivers that meet in the center, surrounded by a wide network of streets and low buildings. Markets with colorful awnings stand next to older French colonial houses and modern concrete and glass shops.
King Ponhea Yat moved the royal seat here in 1434 after Angkor could no longer be held. Centuries later, King Norodom rebuilt the abandoned settlement starting in 1865 and made it the new capital.
Street vendors sell grilled bananas and sticky rice on almost every corner, while people gather on low plastic chairs to drink coffee together. When the sun sets, families come to the riverfront to eat together and spend the evening.
Most sights are located either along the rivers or in the central area, so you can reach many of them on foot or with short rides. During the rainy season between May and October, some streets can flood after heavy downpours.
A woman named Penh found four Buddha figures in a floating tree where the rivers meet and then built a temple on a small hill. That hill gave the city its name, which literally means Hill of Penh.
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