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Wat Prayuvong (Prayuvong Pagoda)

Wat Prayuvong (Prayuvong Pagoda) is located on hidden away to the east of Norodom Blvd, about 300 meters southern of the Independence Monument. On the roadside of Wat Prayuvong is the centre for the manufacture of artifact. There is a neighborhood of workshops produce Buddha statuary and ritual objects destroyed by the Khmer Rouge and the manufacture of objects for contemporary practitioners of Buddhism, including gaudy cement Buddhas, Bayon heads, nagas, and mythological figures. They are made in concrete, the artistry remains elaborate and statuettes fascinating, but  a number of artists there also do religious paintings, some of which are quite impressive in their scale. So you can walk around the various workshops and watch the artisans at work.

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Wat Langka

Wat Langka is one of oldest pagodas in Phnom Penh funded in 1442. It was established as a sanctuary for the Holy Writings and a meeting place for Cambodian and Sri Lankan monks. The Pagoda was named in honor of these meetings. Langka Pagoda was used as a storehouse during the Khmer Rouge era and therefore manage to avoid total destruction.

The temple still plays an important role in Cambodian Buddhism and many of the monks here are highly regarded teaches.

Wat Langkar is located on Preah Sihanouk Blvd, just southwest of the Independence Monument.

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Wat Phnom

Wat Phnom is the oldest and the tallest religious structure in Phnom Penh, it was built 1373 and it stands 27 meters. Wat Phnom means “Temple of the Mountains” or “Mountain Pagoda” and it is a Buddhist Temple.

Legend says that a wealthy widow, Daun Penh, found a large koki tree in the river. Inside the tree she found four bronze statues of the Buddha. Lady Penh constructed a small shrine on an artificial hill to protect the sacred statues. Eventually this became a sacred site and sanctuary where people would make blessings and pray.

Today, many people come here to pray for success and good luck. It is also one of Phnom Penh’s many tourist attractions so you will find a lot of beggars and women and children selling drinks, souvenirs and birds in cages. You buy the birds to let them free but the birds are trained to return to the cage afterwards.