The Independence Lion—Phnom Penh, Cambodia. - Lion Statues on Waymarking.com

One of the iconic images of the Kingdom of Cambodia and its capital, the City Of Phnom Penh, is the Independence Monument (Vimean Ekareach). This monument was dedicated in 1958 and commemorates the liberation of Cambodian from the then French colonial empire, an event which occurred five years earlier in 1953. The monument stands on a traffic circle at the intersection of Norodom Boulevard and Sihanouk Boulevard, in the more prestigious area of the city, not too far from the Mekong River, and the palace of the King.

The monument was designed, in the first flush of post-independence enthusiasm, by the accomplished Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann (who designed much of the public architecture of Cambodia of the 1950s and 1960s). It pays homage to the singularly famous, Cambodian world heritage, temple complex of Angkor Wat. Informally, it is referred to as 'The Pineapple'.

The Monument is the public centrepiece for most national celebrations. It is also a 'must see' tourist attraction of the city. At night it sometimes brightly lit rendering it an attractive spectacle, and it is surrounded by a fountain.


To the immediate south of the Monument is what could be termed a 'Cambodian' style lion, similar in appearance to most of the public lions in the Kingdom. The statue stands on a road divider along Norodom Blvd, facing south. Symbolically, this lion guards the Monument and thus, Cambodian independence.

Physical Address: Norodom Blvd Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh Cambodia. Web Site: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Take a photo of the lion.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   01/05/2002 Metro2 visited it