Wat Ounalom: The Spiritual Heart of Phnom Penh

Wat Ounalom, meaning “eyebrow temple,” is one of the five original pagodas of Phnom Penh and is considered the most important and largest monastery in Cambodia. Founded in 1443 by King Ponhea Yat, it was built to enshrine an 'Ounalom,' believed to be a hair from the eyebrow of Buddha, a relic of profound spiritual significance. The temple has since served as the residence of the leading Buddhist monks of the country, including the patriarch of the Mahanikai School of Buddhism.Throughout its history, Wat Ounalom has been a center of Buddhist learning and practice. Before its destruction during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979), the monastery was home to over 500 monks and housed the Buddhist Institute's library, containing a collection of more than 30,000 titles. The Khmer Rouge caused serious damage to the temple's valuable cultural artifacts and book collection, and many monks died during this period. Miraculously, the Buddha's eyebrow hair survived and remains the focal point of the temple.Today, Wat Ounalom stands on a large area of Sothearos Boulevard and Preah Ang Eng Street, featuring a complex of 44 buildings. The main temple, dating back to 1952, is a modern recreation of the original 15th-century shrine. It's spread over three levels and displays a collection of paintings and cultural relics related to the life of Buddha. Visitors can explore the temple's many prayer buildings adorned with Buddhist sculptures and frescoes, as well as the peaceful gardens that surround the complex. Behind the main temple, visitors can explore Chetdai, an Angkorian-era stupa preserving Buddha's eyebrow hair. The stupa is also popular for its four bronze statues of Buddha in a sitting posture, each facing a cardinal direction. The walls that bound this ancient stupa have several figures of Hindu gods, including the image of Lord Vishnu, a Garuda mythic bird, and Lord Yama on his buffalo.