Wat Phnom

The most popular of Phnom Penh's temples, Wat Phnom ($1 donation), atop the city's only hill, was originally founded by Lady Penh in 1372 . The current construction, dating from 1927, sees hundreds of Cambodians converge daily for elephant rides, photos and perhaps a prayer or two. Weekends and holidays are especially busy.

At the eastern entrance, lions and naga images beckon the visitor to the top of the staircase, where a gold-painted bas-relief depicts the victory of King Jayavarman VII over the Cham army in the twelfth century. Apsara images flank the mural. Inside the temple, a resplendent Maitreya Buddha ("Buddha of the Future") looks down from the central dais. Some of the paintings adorning the walls and ceiling are barely visible - years of incense burning have taken their toll - but you can just about make out tales of the Buddha's life and the Ramayana. Behind the main sanctuary, King Punyayab's stupa remains the highest point in Phnom Penh, a fact not lost on the French, who commandeered the shrine as a watchtower. Rumour has it that Lady Penh's original Buddhas are entombed here and there's a small shrine to her between the temple and the stupa.

On the northern side of the hill nestles a temple to the spirit Preah Chau , popular among the Chinese and Vietnamese communities. Gifts of raw meat and eggs are offered to the stone lions outside in return for protection from enemies. The empty, half-finished construction on the western side of the hill was intended to house the Buddha relics currently enshrined in the small blue stupa outside Phnom Penh railway station. However, financial and engineering problems have caused the project to be abandoned.