Central Market

Psar Thmei, the new market, was completed in 1937 on the site of a drained lake, an art-deco structure of a central dome twenty-six metres high with four vaulted arms radiating from it, painted ochre, and it remains one of the largest covered markets in Asia and a genuinely fine building. Under the dome are jewellery and watch sellers, gold and silver in glass cases; the arms hold clothing, electronics, souvenirs, flowers and a food section, with fresh produce and cooked food stalls around the outside. It was restored with French funding in the 2000s. Prices for visitors start high and bargaining is expected. The building is worth entering for the architecture even if you buy nothing, and the light under the dome is the best of it.

History

After Phnom Penh became the capital of the French protectorate in 1867 the city grew fast, and at the end of the 1920s, with some 90,000 people, it was decided to build a market on a marsh in the middle of the Chinatown of the day. Designed by the city architect Jean Desbois and built by SIDEC under Louis Chauchon and the engineer Wladimir Kandaouroff, it was begun in August 1935 once the marsh was drained, opened by King Sisowath Monivong in September 1937, and was said to be the biggest market in Asia; from 2009 to 2011 a renovation of US$4.2 million funded by the French Development Agency restored its concrete structure (Wikipedia, Central Market - Phnom Penh).

What to look for

• The art-deco dome - a twenty-six-metre vault over the jewellery halls.
• Gold and silver stalls - the trade concentrated under the centre.
• The four arms - cloth, electronics, souvenirs and flowers.
• Food stalls outside - cooked food and produce around the building.

When to go

November to March for comfortable weather; the market is covered and works in rain. Mornings are freshest for food. It is open daily and busiest in the middle of the day.

Practical notes

Prices quoted to foreigners are inflated and bargaining is necessary. It is hot and crowded under the arms despite the ventilation. Much of the souvenir stock is imported. Pickpocketing occurs in the crush.

Nearby

The riverfront lies east; the National Museum is southeast.

Key facts