Things to see in Phnom Penh

A stunning complex of buildings, built in traditional Khmer style, including a Throne Hall and the intriguing, very French house built with iron, which was donated by Napoleon III to King Norodom in 1876. The Throne Hall was used most recently in 2004 for the coronation of the new king, Norodom Sihamoni. Several pavilions have been added over the years, including one containing a small display of royal clothing such as copies of King Sihamoni's coronation clothes. During the Khmer Rouge years, the former king, Sihanouk, was held prisoner in the palace and the royal family still reside in part of the complex.

This was a notorious prison during the Khmer Rouge years, known as S-21. Originally a high school, it is the place where thousands of people were tortured and lost their lives. The school was surrounded by barbed wire and the classrooms used to house manacled prisoners in crudely built cells. Other rooms contain a single bed frame and a graphic photo of the occupant left to die when the Khmer Rouge fled as the Vietnamese army approached in January 1979. Most chilling is the thousands of photos covering the walls of unidentified prisoners and the hard faces of the cadres who imprisoned them.

This is one of Phnom Penh's original and most important pagodas, dating from the 15th century and located close to the Royal Palace. It was once home to hundreds of monks and an extensive religious library, but suffered greatly at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. Many of the religious artefacts were thrown into the river during the Khmer Rouge years, but a few were eventually retrieved. The temple was built to house an important religious relic, an eyebrow hair from the Buddha. The wat is quite a lively place to visit as it is home to many monks and novice monks who peep curiously at visitors.