French Embassy In Phnom Penh To Open To The Public This Weekend
Phnom Penh, September 11, 2023 --
The French Embassy in Phnom Penh will be open to the public this weekend on the occasion of European Heritage Days, organised this year around the theme of “Living Heritage”.
After welcoming more than 1,400 visitors last year, the French Embassy in Cambodia will once again open its doors to the public on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the embassy said in a recent press release.
Visitors will be allowed to discover or rediscover the buildings steeped in history and the magnificent park of the embassy, said the same source, adding that with an area of 4.7 hectares, it is a key large green area in Phnom Penh. It is home to exceptional biodiversity: 200 trees of more than 50 different species and a large number of animal species, the census of which is currently underway.
They will also discover the embassy’s old portal, which inspired Mr. François Bizot's story on the fall of Phnom Penh in 1975.
On their way out, visitors will be able to visit the photo exhibition hanging on the embassy’s exterior, which celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia, then go to the Memorial for the Dead of World War I, recently reconstructed identically by the Royal Government of Cambodia.
Visitors can have access to guided tours in French (9 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m.), Khmer (9:40 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 2:40 p.m.) and English (9:20 a.m., 10:20 a.m., 2:20 p.m.).
According to the press release, initiated in 1985 by France, European Heritage Days are currently celebrated in more than 50 countries. In Cambodia, other remarkable buildings will also open their doors to the public on this occasion, including the French Development Agency, the UNESCO Office, the Royal University of Fine Arts, the Municipality of Phnom Penh, and the centre of the French School of the Far East (EFEO) in Siem Reap.
Entrance is free and without registration, but large bags are not allowed, said the press release, continuing that visitors are recommended to bring water and suitable shoes.