Phnom Penh History

Phnom Penh History!

HISTORY PERIOD1-: 1372-1432: 60 YEARSBIRTH OF PHNOM DAUN PENH
1-GRANDMA PENH



Grandma Penh or Daun Penh was wealthy widow. Settled on a high land at the west bank of Chrap Chheam River (Now: Sap River next to Chaktomuk).
At a vast flood season, there were many Koki trees floating to stuck at Daun Penh high land and in the hole of a big Koki, there were four bronze and one stone Buddha statues.
1372 Daun Penh has ordered people to pile up earth at northeast her house and used those Koki trunks to build up a temple on that hill for keeping the five Buddha statues, then named the temple Wat Phnom Daun Penh (Now: Wat Phnom)
Build another hut at northeast of the temple for keeping Preah Chao guardian spirit.
The name of Phnom Daun Penh became Phnom Penh, name of the capital city of Khmer in present time.

HISTORY PERIOD II: 1432-1505: 73 YEARSCONSTRUCTION OF CHAKTOMUK CITY

2- H.M. CHAO PONHEA YAT: (1421) 1432-1462

Son of H.M Srey Soriyovong II
1431. To abandon Angkor City, by reason of suffering from ceaseless aggression of Siam, and then resettled at Tuol Basan City, (Now: Srey Santhor)
1432, to move from Tuol Basan City, because of flooding, to Chaktomuk City (New Phnom Penh City)
To order district leader of Samrong Tong Province, Chao Ponhea Decho, to bank up dirt around the hill and area closed to river shore to construct royal palace, and the digging place for dirt became a lake called Decho Lake (Now: Phsar Thmey market).
To prepare Kompong Reap Port.
To order district leader of Bati Province, Oknha Vongsa Anuchit Phlong, to dig Oknha Phlong Canal (Now: Sakhaya Moni Chedey garden), to stream river water in city reservoir for citizen used.
To build up city rampart and hydraulic system by digging canals and banking dams surrounded:

Takeo Canal South
Okor Canal West
Pongpeay North

First son, Neareay Reachea, titled as their apparent, built his palace at Chroy Roluos, at southeast.
Second son. Srey Reachea, built his palace at Tuol preah Srey, west of Okor Canal (Now: Preah Puth Meanbon Pagoda
To expand and bank up the hill higher, and reconstruct the temple of Wat Phnom Daun Penh for keeping bronze Buddha statue from Angkor and Buddha statues from Koki hole, and build up the great stupa behind the temple
To name Wat Phnom Daun Penh as Wat Preah Chedey Borapoa
To construct six monasteries:

Wat Preah Puth Khosa North
Wat Thoam Langka Northeast
Wat Koh Southeast
Wat PeamPhlong South
Wat Unalaom South
Wat Khpop Ta Yang South

To name the city as “Krong Chaktomuk Mongkul Sakal Kampuchear Thipadey Sereythor Bovor Inthabath Borey Rath Reach Seima Moha Nokor”

3-HM. NEAREAY REACHEA: 1462-1467

First son of H M Chao Ponhea Yat
To construct stupa on Phnom Daun Penh to bury the ashes of H M. Chao Ponhea Yat.

4-H M.STEY REACHEA: 1467-1474

Second son of H.M Chao Ponhea Yat.
Younger brother of H.M Neareay Reachea.
To construct stupa at the foot of Phnom Daun Penh hill, at northeast, to bury the ashes of HM. Neareay Reachea

5-THOAM REACHEA: 1474-1494

Third son of H.M Chao Ponhea Yat.
Younger brother of H.M Srey Reachea and H. M. Neareay reachea

6-H.M SOKUNTH BATH : 1494-1505

Son of H.M Thoam Reachea.
To reign for a period of time at Chaktomuk City and they moved to stay at Tuol Basan by assigned his younger brother, Chan Reachea, titled as crown prince, to stay at Chaktomuk for his replacement

HISTORY PERIOD III: 1505-1865: 360 YEARSABANDONMENT OF CHAKTOMUK CITY

The abandonment of Chaktomuk City was caused by:
Frequently changing of royal palace location
Fighting for reign
Preferring other places to be city as Tuol Buol Basan, Pursat, Lungvek, Lavear Em, Udong, etc.

HISTORY PERIOD IV: 1865-1998 : 133 YEARSCONSTRUCTION OF PHNOM PENH CITY

7- H. M. NORODOM: (1860) 1865-1904

First son of H.M Angduong.
1865, to move from Udong City to Phnom Penh.
At that time, Cambodia was occupied and governed by neighbor countries nearly dissolved, and the population of whole country remained nearly 1,000,000 people only.
The situation of Phnom Penh City:
Rows of huts, floor 1,5m over ground, along Sap river bank, make of bamboo thatch and wood-tile.
Sampans, roofing boats, fishing boats, motor boats crowding docked along Sap river
Population lived there, about 10,0 00 people.
Foreigners were: Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Thai, Indian, Laotian, etc.
Only one inner city road along Sap river bank (Now: Quay Preah Sisowath).
Length of the city was 4 km.
Traveling means: foot, buffalo cart.
City gate to the west: Road to Kompot (Now: National road no. 3 )
City gate to the north Road to Udong (Now: National road no 5)
1866 Phnom Penh City divided into 3 villages:
Catholic Village :North of the city, Russey Keo vicinity, for Vietnamese.
Chen Village :Middle of the city, along Sap river, For Chinese.
Khmer Village :South of the city, around royal palace and Wat Unalaom for Khmers.
1870. French colonial administration started to build up hotel, school, prison, barrack, bank, public works office, telegraph office, Law court, and health services house.
1872. To order French contractor, Le Faucheur, to construct first 300 concrete houses for selling and renting to Chinese traders (brick wall, tile roof, two floors: ground floor for merchandises selling, up floor for living.
1884. To dig inner city canales and over bridges (Now: canales became gardens, and bridges have been eliminated).
1893. To rehabilitate Wat Phnom, created zoo, surrounding gardens and constructed Boulevard Doubart de Lagrée (Now: Blvd. Preah Norodom).
1895. CEEL, first French company produced clean water at Chroy Changwa water plant.
1897. Population of Phnom Penh city was close to 50,000 people:

Chinese 22,000 p
Khmer 16,000 p
Vietnamese 4,000 p
French 400 p

8-H.M. SISOWATH : 1904-1927

Second son of H.M. Angduong.
Younger brother of H.M. Norodom.
To dredge Mekong and Sap rivers in order to facilitate marine navigation enables to reach Phnom Penh
1914, to expand the city to the west and to the south until Bassac river.

9-H.M. MONIVONG:1927-1941



Preah Monivong Bridge(1929)


Preah Monivong Bridge(2000)

Son of H.M. Sisowath.
1928, French company, Grands Travaux de Marseille (GTM), began to pump sandy dirt from Sap river bottom to fill up Decho lake and other lakes in the city.
1929, to construct iron bridge (Now: Preah Monivong Bridge)
1932, to construct station and railway to Battambang, and Boulevard Miche (Now: Blvd.Preah Monivong).
1935, to build up Grand Market (Now: Phsar Thom Thmey market)
1939, to construct Verdun Avenue (Now: Blvd. J. Nerhu and Ave. Preah Sihanouk)
1939, the population of Phnom Penh City were 108,000 people, and the population of whole Cambodia were about 3,000,000 people.


Psa Thom Thmey Market (1937)

Psa Thom Thmey Market (2003)

10-H.M. SIHANOUK : 1941-1998

Son of H.M. the King Norodom Suramarit and H.M the Queen Sisowath Kosomak Neary Rath.
To be crowned on the throne: 23 April 1941.
To Transfer reign to father, H.M. Norodom Soramarit 1955-1960
To transfer reign to mother, H.M. Sisowath Kosomak Neary Rath 1960-1970

A. The Kingdom of Cambodia : 1941-1970

The statistic of Phnom Penh City
1942 111,000 p
1950 354,000 p
1958 355,000p

1958, to construct another boulevard (Now: Blvd. Mao Tse Tong).
1961, to expand Tuol Kork zone.
1962, the population of Phnom Penh City were 394,000 p
1963 construct International Olympic Stadium.
1964, to construct Tonle Bassac Theater and Casino
To construct railway to Kompong som Ville.
To construct International Airport of Pochentong
1966, to construct Sangkum Reah Niyum Bridge (Now: Cambodia-Japan friendship bridge)
To Build up many of school. Pagodas, hospitals, factories, roads, dams, canals.
The progresses on every field at that time caused international communities to title Phnom Penh City as Pearl of Asia.

B. Khmer Republic: 1970-1975

1970, the population of Phnom Penh City were 900,000 people.
1971, people living in insecurity zone around provincial towns cities started to flee into Phnom Penh City for taking shelter and living.
1972, to form refugee villages and then squatters huts appear everywhere in the City.
1973, Khmer rouge mine Chroy Chang War Bridge 2 times.
1975, the population of Phnom Penh City were 2,000,000 people.

C- Democratic Cambodia: 1975-1979

17 April 1975, all Phnom Penh citizens have been chased out of the city, by Khmer rouge force, to live and farm at rural areas.
3 years, 8 months and 20 days, Phnom Penh City has been abandoned without taking care or repairing the damages from war.

D-People's republic of Cambodia: 1979-1989

7 January-1979, mixed provincial and municipal population returned back to live in Phnom Penh City
1979, the population of Phnom Penh City were 100,000 people
The people, who came to live in Phnom Penh City at that time, were almost people from provincial and rural areas.
To start to rehabilitate Phnom Penh city that has been damaged from war and abandonment.
1985, the population of Phnom Penh City were 427,000 people.

E-State of Cambodia: 1989-1992

1990, the population of Phnom Penh City were 615,000 people.
To rehabilitate, repair and develop the city by constructing new buildings everywhere in Phnom Penh City.

F- UNTAC: 1992-1993

1993 the population of Phnom Penh City were 1,300,000 people.
The people living far from crowded areas have been gathering to settle illegally anywhere in the City.

G- The Kingdom of Cambodia: 1993-1998

1995, registered population were 824,000 people, and out of that, temporary staying people, foreigners, traders, investors were all together more than 1,000,000 people.
1995, to repair and reconstruct National road no. 4, Cambodia-Japan friendship bridge, National road no. 6A, Blvd Mao Tse Tong, Riverside garden, roundabouts, etc.
1996, to repair and reconstruct Land filled garden, Blvd. J. Nerhu, Blvd. Samdech Sothearos, etc.
To construct and repair school buildings, hospitals, pagodas, training centers, etc.
To receive grant aid from France, Japan, Australia, Germany, Norway, etc., to rehabilitate and develop Phnom Penh City.
To get loan from Asia Development Bank and World Bank to rehabilitate water supply networks, infrastructure of sewerage, road, environment, and transport and to develop Phnom Penh City.

1997, to rehabilitate, repairs and construct:

Sewerage-drainage system, pumping stations,
Asphalted concrete roads, asphalted roads, late rite roads and dirt roads.
Public lighting system and new traffic lights.
1998, to repair and improve the national patrimony Wat Phnom and Royal Palace garden.
Phnom Penh City was divided into 7 districts: Daun Penh, 7 Makara, Toul Kork, Chamkarmon, Meanchey, Russey Keo & Dangkor, including 76 communes
Area of the city is 290 Km
1998, the population of Phnom Penh City are 862,000 people, including 149,000 families.

Angkor History

Angkor History

Angkor’ literally means ‘Capital City’ or ‘Holy City’. ‘Khmer’ refers to the dominant ethnic group in modern and ancient Cambodia. In its modern usage, ‘Angkor’ has come to refer to the capital city of the Khmer Empire that existed in the area of Cambodia between the 9th and 12th centuries CE, as well as to the empire itself. The temple ruins in the area of Siem Reap are the remnants of the Angkorian capitals, and represent the pinnacle of the ancient Khmer architecture, art and civilization.

At its height, the Age of Angkor was a time when the capital area contained more than a million people, when Khmer kings constructed vast waterworks and grand temples, and when Angkor’s military, economic and cultural dominance held sway over the area of modern Cambodia, and much of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.

The First Century:

IndianisationSoutheast Asia has been inhabited since the Neolithic era, but the seeds of Angkorian civilization were sown in the 1st century CE. At the turn of the millennium, Southeast Asia was becoming a hub in a vast commercial trading network that stretched from the Mediterranean to China. Indian and Chinese traders began arriving in the region in greater numbers, exposing the indigenous people to their cultures, though it was Indian culture that took hold, perhaps through the efforts of Brahman priests. Indian culture, religion (Hinduism and Buddhism), law, political theory, science and writing spread through the region over a period of several centuries, gradually being adopted by existing states and giving rise to new Indianised princedoms.

Funan and Chendla: Pre-Angkor and before

Though the newly Indianised princely states sometimes encompassed large areas, they were often no larger than a single fortified city. They warred among themselves, coalescing over time into a shifting set of larger states. According to 3rd century Chinese chronicles, one of China’s principal trading partners and a dominant power in the region was the Indianised state of Funan centered in today’s southern Vietnam and Cambodia. There is evidence that the Funanese spoke Mon-Khmer, strongly indicating a connection to later Angkorian and Cambodian civilization.

Funan was predominate over its smaller neighboring states, including the state of Chendla in northern Cambodia. Over the later half of the 6th century, Funan began to decline, losing its western territories. Chendla, already in the ascendant, conquered the Khmer sections of western Funan, while the Mon people won the extreme western section of Funan in present day Thailand. Later, Chendla seems to have gone on to conquer the remainder of Funan, signaling the beginning of the ‘pre-Angkorian’ period. Chendla flourished but for a short time. The third and last king of a unified Chendla, Isanavarman I, constructed the pre-Angkorian temples of Sambor Prei Kuk near modern Kampong Thom city. (If you come to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh by road, you will pass through Kampong Thom. With a few spare hours, it is possible to make a side trip to these pre-Angkorian ruins).

Under Isanavarman I’s successor, Chendla disintegrated into smaller warring states. It was briefly reunited under Jayavarman I in the mid-7th century, only to fall apart again after his death. On traditional accounts, Chendla finally broke into two rival states or alliances, ‘Land Chendla’ in northern Cambodia/southern Laos, and ‘Water Chendla’ centered further south in Kampong Thom.

802CE: The Beginning

Jayavarman II was the first king of the Angkorian era, though his origins are recorded in history that borders on legend. He is reputed to have been a Khmer prince, returned to Cambodia around 790CE after a lengthy, perhaps forced stay in the royal court in Java. Regardless of his origin, he was a warrior who, upon returning to Cambodia, subdued enough of the competing Khmer states to declare a sovereign and unified ‘Kambuja’ under a single ruler. He made this declaration in 802CE in a ceremony on Kulen Mountain (Phnom Kulen) north of Siem Reap, where he held a ‘god-king’ rite that legitimized his ‘universal kingship’ through the establishment of a royal linga-worshiping cult. The linga-cult would remain central to Angkorian kingship, religion, art and architecture for centuries.

Roluos: The ‘First’ Capital

After 802CE, Jayavarman II continued to pacify rebellious areas and enlarge his kingdom. Before 802CE, he had briefly based himself at a pre-Angkorian settlement near the modern town of Roluos (13km southeast of Siem Reap). For some reason, perhaps due to military considerations, he moved from the Roluos area to the Kulen Mountains. Some- time after establishing his kingship in 802CE, he moved the capital back to the Roluos area, which he named Hariharalaya in honor of the combined god of Shiva and Vishnu. He reigned from Hariharalaya until his death in 850CE.

Thirty years after Jayavarman II’s death, King Indravarman III constructed the temple of Preah Ko, the first major member of the ‘Roluos Group’, in honor of Jayavarman II. He then constructed Bakong, which was the first grand project to follow the temple-mountain architectural formula. When visiting these temples, note the deep, rich, detailed artistic style in the carvings that were characteristic of the period.

Indravarman III also built the first large baray (water reservoir), thereby establishing two more defining marks of the Angkorian kingship - in addition to the linga-cult, the construction of temple monuments and grand water projects became part of kingly tradition.

The Capital Moves to Angkor

Indravarman III’s son, Yasovarman I, carried on the tradition of his father, building the East Baray as well as the last major temple of the Roluos Group (Lolei), and the first major temple in the Angkor area (Phnom Bakheng). Upon completing Phnom Bakheng in 893CE, he moved his capital to the newly named Yasodharapura in the Angkor area. The move may have been sparked by Yasovarman I’s violent confrontation with his brother for the throne, which left the Royal Palace at Roluos in ashes. With one exception, the capital would reside in the Angkor area for the next 500 years.

Koh Ker: A Brief Interruption

The exception took place in 928CE when, for reasons that remain unclear, there was a disruption in the royal succession. King Jayavarman IV moved the capital 100km from Angkor north to Koh Ker, where it remained for 20 years. When the capital returned to Angkor, it centered not at Phnom Bakheng as it had before, but further east at the new state-temple of Pre Rup (961CE).

Apogee: The Khmer Empire at Angkor

An era of territorial, political and commercial expansion followed the return to Angkor. Royal courts flourished and constructed several major monuments including Ta Keo, Banteay Srey, Baphuon, and West Baray. Kings of the period exercised their military muscle, including King Rajendravarman who led successful campaigns against the eastern enemy of Champa in the mid 10th century. Just after the turn of the millennium, there was a 9-year period of political upheaval that ended when King Suryavarman I seized firm control in 1010CE. In the following decades, he led the Khmer to many important military victories including conquering the Mon Empire to the west (capturing much of the area of modern Thailand), thereby bringing the entire western portion of old Funan under Khmer control. A century later, King Suryavarman II led several successful campaigns against the Khmer’s traditional eastern enemy, Champa, in central and southern Vietnam.

Under Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, the empire was at its political/territorial apex. Appropriate to the greatness of the times, Suryavarman II produced Angkor’s most spectacular architectural creation, Angkor Wat, as well as other monuments such as Thommanon, Banteay Samre and Beng Melea. Angkor Wat was constructed as Suryavarman II’s state-temple and perhaps as his funerary temple. Extensive battle scenes from his campaigns against Champa are recorded in the superb bas-reliefs on the south wall of Angkor Wat.

By the late 12th century, rebellious states in the provinces, unsuccessful campaigns against the Vietnamese Tonkin, and internal conflicts all began to weaken the empire. In 1165, during a turbulent period when Khmer and Cham princes plotted and fought both together and against one another, a usurper named Tribhuvanadityavarman seized power at Angkor.

In 1177 the usurper was killed in one of the worst defeats suffered by the Khmers at the hands of the Cham. Champa, apparently in collusion with some Khmer factions, launched a sneak naval attack on Angkor. A Cham fleet sailed up the Tonle Sap River onto the great Tonle Sap Lake just south of the capital city. Naval and land battles ensued in which the city was assaulted, burned and occupied by the Cham. The south wall of Bayon displays bas-reliefs of a naval battle, but it is unclear whether it is a depiction of the battle of 1177 or some later battle.

Jayavarman VII: The Monument Builder

The Cham controlled Angkor for four years until the legendary Jayavarman VII mounted a series of counter attacks over a period of years. He drove the Cham from Cambodia in 1181. After the Cham defeat, Jayavarman VII was declared king. He broke with almost 400 years of tradition and made Mahayana Buddhism the state religion, and immediately began Angkor’s most prolific period of monument building.

Jayavarman VII’s building campaign was unprecedented and took place at a frenetic pace. Hundreds of monuments were constructed in less than a 40-year period. Jayavarman VII’s works included Bayon with its famous giant faces, his capital city of Angkor Thom, the temples of Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei and Preah Khan, and hundreds of others. The monuments of this period, though myriad and grand, are often architecturally confused and artistically inferior to earlier periods, seemingly due in part to the haste with which they were rendered.

After a couple of days at the temples, you should begin to recognize the distinctive Bayon-style of Jayavarman VII’s monuments. Note the giant stone faces, the cruder carving techniques, simpler lintel carvings with little or no flourish, the Buddhist themes to the carvings and the accompanying vandalism of the Buddhas that occurred in a later period.

At the same time as his building campaign, Jayavarman VII also led an aggressive military struggle against Champa. In 1190 he captured the Cham king and brought him to Angkor. In 1203 he annexed all of Champa, thereby expanding the Khmer Empire to the eastern shores of southern Vietnam. Through other military adventures he extended the borders of the empire in all directions.

Jayavarman VII’s prodigious building campaign also represents the finale of the Khmer empire as no further grand monuments were constructed after his death in 1220. Construction on some monuments, notably Bayon, stopped short of completion, probably coinciding with Jayavarman VII’s death. His successor, Indravarman II continued construction on some Jayavarman VII monuments with limited success.

The End of an Era

Though the monument building had come to a halt, the capital remained active for years. Chinese emissary Zhou Daguan (Chou Ta-Kuan) visited Angkor in the late 13th century and describes a vibrant city in his classic, ‘Customs of Cambodia’.

Hinduism made a comeback under Jayavarman VIII in the late 13th century during which most of Angkor’s Buddhist monuments were systematically defaced. Look for the chipped out Buddha images on almost all of Jayavarman VII’s Buddhist monuments. Literally thousands of Buddha images have been removed in what must have been a huge investment of destructive effort. Interestingly, some Buddha images were crudely altered into Hindu lingas and Bodhisattvas. There are some good examples of altered images at Ta Prohm and Preah Khan.

Jayavarman VIII also constructed the final Brahmanic monument at Angkor - the small tower East Prasat Top in Angkor Thom. After Jayavarman VIII’s death, Buddhism returned to Cambodia but in a different form. Instead of Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism took hold and remains the dominant religion in Cambodia to this day.

After the 13th century, Angkor suffered repeated invasions by the Thai from the west, pressuring the Khmer and contributing to the capital being moved from Angkor. After a seven-month siege on Angkor in 1431, King Ponhea Yat moved the capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh in 1432. This move may also have marked a shift from an agrarian-based economy to a trade based economy, in which a river junction location like Phnom Penh rather than the inland area of Angkor would be more advantageous. After the move to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia moved a couple of more times, first to Lovek and then Oudong, before finally settling permanently into Phnom Penh in 1866.

After the capital moved from Angkor, the temples remained active, though their function changed over the years. Angkor Wat was visited several times by western explorers and missionaries between the 16th and 19th century, but it is Henri Mouhot who is popularly credited with the ‘discovery’ of Angkor Wat in 1860. His book, ‘Travels in Siam, Cambodia, Laos and Annam’ is credited with bringing Angkor its first tourist boom. .

Khmer history

Cambodia

Brief History & Geography

Comprising an area of 181,035 square kilometres, the Kingdom of Cambodia was part of the ancient kingdom of Funan. Being the oldest Indianised state in Southeast Asia, its religion was Hinduism. Today, Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion. The Mekong river wich flows through the country and Tonle Sap (Great Lake) are the lifeline of the people who live along the waterways. Tonle Sap is one of the richest sources of freshwater fish in the world. There are three main mountain ranges: the Cardamon mountains in the south-west, The Dangkrek mountains in the north and the Eastern mountains in the north-east.

Climate

Cambodia's tropical climate is affected by the monsoon. The cool, dry north-east monsoon which brings little rain, is from November to October, the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain and hight humidity. The average temperature is 32°C.

Population and People

Of the 10 million people, about 90 per cent of them are ethnic Khmers. There are several minorities such as the Chams (Khmer Islam), Vietnamese and Chinese. Hill tribes as the Phnuong, Styieng and Kuy dominate the country's mountain region.

Religion

The official religion is Theravada Buddhism and olmost 90 per cent of the population are of this faith. The rest are Muslims an Christians.

Economy

About 70 per cent of the population work on their rice fields. Cambodia is rich in hardwood (teak and mahogany) and gems which are found in the north-west. The economy operates on free market principles. Cambodia has adopted one of the most liberal laws for foreign investors.

Language

The official language is Khmer while the second language (spoken by the educated older Cambodians) is French. However, in recent years English has gained popularity.

Time

Cambodia has one time zone and is seven hours ahead of GMT.

Clothing

Most Cambodians are casual in their dressing except when they are attending formal events or business meetings. It's not unsual to see both men and women wearing the krama, a long, narrow checked cotton cloth round their neck. The krama is a versatile piece of cloth.