Wat Preah Keo Morakot and the silver floor of Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace
Published on 09/11/2026 at 21:16 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Wat Preah Keo Morakot in Phnom Penh, widely known in English as the Silver Pagoda, is the royal temple within Cambodia’s palace complex where a silver-paved hall centres on an emerald-hued Buddha image.
A royal chapel beside the throne halls
Wat Preah Keo Morakot stands in the southern section of the Royal Palace complex in central Phnom Penh, on the side facing Samdech Sothearos Boulevard near the meeting point of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong rivers.southern section of the Royal Palace The temple forms part of a walled royal compound of throne halls, courtyards and pavilions rather than a stand-alone city monastery, and it functions as the chapel for Cambodia’s monarchs and court ceremonies.royal chapel for Cambodia’s kings
The official Khmer name of the shrine complex is Wat Preah Keo Morakot, sometimes rendered as Preah Vihear Preah Keo Morakot, a title that translates as “Temple of the Emerald Buddha” and refers directly to the principal image in the main hall.Temple of the Emerald Buddha Construction of the present temple building ran from 1892 to 1902 under Khmer royal patronage, giving Wat Preah Keo Morakot its late nineteenth-century character within the palace grounds.built from 1892 to 1902
The silver floor and the Emerald Buddha
Inside the main vihear, the hall housing the central shrine, the entire floor is covered by thousands of silver tiles whose combined weight reaches several tonnes of pure silver, giving the English name “Silver Pagoda” its literal grounding.silver tiles cover the floor The central Buddha image that anchors the composition is carved from an emerald-coloured gemstone and stands elevated above the silver pavement, a figure distinct from the Emerald Buddha worshipped in Thailand yet sharing the same broader tradition of royal emerald images.emerald-coloured Buddha statue
Around this core ensemble, the hall contains a life-sized Buddha in solid gold set with thousands of diamonds, flanked by smaller statues, reliquaries and ritual objects that together form a treasury of Khmer religious art across several reigns.solid-gold Buddha adorned with diamonds The interior walls carry mural paintings that depict episodes from the Reamker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana epic, so the silver tiles underfoot, the emerald figure at the centre and the painted narratives on the surrounding surfaces work together as one continuous ritual setting.
Architecture and setting within Phnom Penh
From the outside, Wat Preah Keo Morakot presents a classic Khmer temple silhouette, with multi-tiered roofs rising above a high base and external staircases faced in imported stone leading to the main entrance platform.stairs of Italian marble The temple is aligned along an axis with the nearby Throne Hall and other palace structures, so the approach runs through formal courtyards framed by galleries and pavilions before reaching the steps that rise to the silver-floored hall.walking across palace courtyards
The Royal Palace compound, including Wat Preah Keo Morakot, lies close to the junction of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong rivers, so riverfront embankments, ferry landings and central boulevards form the wider urban setting around the complex.close to the Tonlé Sap river Within the temple compound itself, subsidiary stupas, small shrines and landscaped corners appear between paved paths, giving the impression of a compact sacred precinct embedded inside the formal geometry of the palace.
Visiting Wat Preah Keo Morakot: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Wat Preah Keo Morakot stands inside the Royal Palace complex along Samdech Sothearos Boulevard in central Phnom Penh, reached on foot through the palace grounds from surrounding streets and riverside avenues.
- The approach to the main hall involves crossing open courtyards and climbing exterior staircases, with a series of steps leading up from the temple terrace to the entrance platform.
- The official language is Khmer and the currency is the Cambodian riel.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Wat Preah Keo Morakot
Where is Wat Preah Keo Morakot located within Phnom Penh?
Wat Preah Keo Morakot stands in the southern part of the Royal Palace complex in central Phnom Penh, beside Samdech Sothearos Boulevard near the city’s riverfront.
What can visitors expect when they enter the temple?
Visitors encounter a ceremonial hall whose floor is paved with silver tiles, centred on an emerald-coloured Buddha image and surrounded by royal statues, ritual objects and murals.
What makes Wat Preah Keo Morakot distinctive among temples in Cambodia?
Its role as the royal chapel beside the palace throne halls, together with the silver floor and emerald-hued central Buddha, gives Wat Preah Keo Morakot a singular position in Cambodia’s capital.
