Phnom Penh, Cambodia
May 9, 2017

The Wat Ounalom or Ounalom Pagoda is one of the five original monasteries built in Phnom Penh in the year 1442. It is regarded as the most important ‘wat’ or pagoda in the capital city of Phnom Penh as it served as the headquarters for one of Cambodia’s most revered Buddhist patriarchs, as well as home of the Buddhist Institute and Library with a collection of over 30,000 titles until 1999.

At present, the Wat Ounalom serves as the headquarters of Cambodian Buddhism. The most important and eminent feature of the pagoda is a hair from Buddha’s eyebrow that is referred to as ‘ounalom.’ This has been conserved in a building located behind the main wat of the Ounalom Pagoda.

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