The Silver Pagoda, also known as the
Preah Vihear Preah Keo Morokat (the Emerald Pagoda) to Cambodians, lies
within the grounds of the Royal Palace, which is situated near the banks
of the Mighty Mekong.
Originally a wooden structure, the
palace was initially constructed in 1892 during the reign of King
Norodom, but rebuilt to its present grandeur by King Norodom Sihanouk in
1962. The king spared no effort to make this a true embodiment of
brilliant Khmer art. More than 5300 pcs of 1.125 kilo silver tiles are
used to cover the floor of the Silver Pagoda, and the silver pieces
collectively weigh over six tons.
The staircase leading into the pagoda is
marble, and inside, two breathtaking representations of the Buddha hold
court. The Emerald Buddha is in fact made of Baccarat crystal, and
dates back to the 17th century. A small glass case nearby enshrines a
sacred Buddha relic brought from Sri Lanka in 1956 by the Venerable
Loeva Em of Wat Lanka. However, the second statue of Buddha is the one
that catches the eyes of visitors. Its 90 kilo gold body is studded with
2086 diamonds; the largest of which a 25 karats brilliant piece can be
found on the Buddha's crown. Cast in 1904 by King Sisowath at the
request of his elder brother King Norodom, it represents Maitreya
Buddha, the future Buddha.
There are a total of 1650 items on
display at the temple. They include cast gold headdresses made
especially for the royal dancers, many solid gold Buddha statues in
different forms, gifts from royalties and dignitaries from around the
world and a myriad of jewels and precious antiques.
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