The Central Market ( km, ផ្សារធំថ្មី, ; meaning "New Grand Market") is a
market
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
*Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
*Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
Geography
*Märket, an ...
and an
art deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
landmark in
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
, the capital of
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
. The bright yellow building completed in 1937 has a 26-metre high central dome, with four tall arch-roofed arms branching out diagonally across the block, creating vast hallways housing countless stalls and a variety of goods. Initially designed by city architect
Jean Desbois
Jean Desbois was a French architect who rose to fame during the 20th century and left significant landmarks in France and in Cambodia such as the Central Market in Phnom Penh.
He was a member of the French Society of Architects (''Société des Ar ...
, construction works were supervised by French architect Louis Chauchon. When it first opened in 1937, it was said to be the biggest market in Asia; today it still operates as a market.
History
After Phnom Penh became the capital of the
French protectorate of Cambodia
The French protectorate of Cambodia ( km, ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្រោមអាណាព្យាបាលបារាំង; french: Protectorat français du Cambodge) refers to the Kingdom of Cambodia when it was a Fren ...
within
French Indochina
French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
in 1867, the population grew enormously and the French set about creating a spacious modern city. The decision to build a market dates back to the end of the 1920s in response to the increase in the population to 90,000 inhabitants. It was decided to build it on a marshland in the center of the Chinatown of the time, but the project did not start until 1934 because of the turmoil of the Great Depression. It was designed by Jean Desbois (1891 Cherbourg -1971 Lorient), the architect of the city from 1931 to 1937, and its implementation was supervised by Louis Chauchon (1875 - 1945 Saigon) and the engineer Wladimir Kandaouroff. The works were entrusted to the Indochinese Society of Studies and Construction which had already built the markets of Battambang and Cholon. The marsh was drained and work began in August 1935 and was completed in 22 months later; the market was inaugurated by King Sisowath Monivong in September 1937 .
Since its completion, wet season flooding around the market has remained a problem, a reminder of the marshland it once was. The areas between the four diagonal arms and the surrounding streets were originally planted as gardens; over the years the gardens were gradually filled with various temporary structures, greatly increasing the number of stalls. During the
Franco-Thai war
The Franco-Thai War (October 1940 – January 28, 1941, th, กรณีพิพาทอินโดจีน, Krṇī phiphāth xindocīn; french: Guerre franco-thaïlandaise) was fought between Thailand and Vichy France over certain areas o ...
in 1941 the market was bombed by Thai aircraft, causing heavy damage, and it had to be temporarily closed. After the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
it was restored much as it was.
From 2009 to 2011, it underwent a US$4.2 million renovation funded by the
French Development Agency
The French Development Agency (french: Agence française de développement, AFD) is a public financial institution that implements the policy defined by the French Government. It works to fight poverty and promote sustainable development. This pub ...
. This renovation repaired and restored all the original reinforced concrete structure, and added low arched roofed stall areas in the originally open areas on all four sides.
The entrances to the market are lined with souvenir merchants hawking everything from T-shirts and postcards to silver curios and
krama
A krama (; km, ក្រមា ) is a sturdy traditional Cambodian garment with many uses, including as a scarf, bandanna, to cover the face, for decorative purposes, and as a hammock for children. It may also be used as a form of weaponry. Bo ...
s. Inside is a dazzling display of jewels and gold. Electronic goods, stationery, secondhand clothes and flowers are also sold.
Gallery
Central_Market_(Psar_Thom_Thmey)_August_2022.jpg, Central Market View from West Side to East
Phnom Penh Central Market 7.jpg, One of the Central Market's entrances
Sangkat Phsar Thmei Ti Muoy, Phnom Penh, Campuchia The Central Market - panoramio.jpg, Central Market under the dome
20171125 Central Market, Phnom Penh 4368 DxO.jpg, Central Market, Phnom Penh in 2017
PP Central Market- cavernous interior (14064641229).jpg, Central Market view into one of the arms 2014
Phnom Penh Central Market - January 2020 - 4.jpg, A walkway lined with shops in 2020
Phnom Penh Central Market - January 2020 - 1.jpg, Activity in the market in 2020
See also
*
List of markets in Phnom Penh
Gallery
Depo Market (Psar Depo).jpg, Depo Market (Psar Depo)
Central Market (Psar Thom Thmey) August 2022.jpg, Central Market Central Market may refer to:
*Central Market, a 2009 album by Tyondai Braxton
Fresh food markets
* Adelaide Central M ...
References
*Central Market: Story of a renovation. Municipality of Phnom Penh
Melon rouge Agency Editor and Publisher
External links
360° aerial panorama of Central Market Phnom Penh
{{Phnom Penh Bus Rapid Transit stations
Retail buildings in Cambodia
Buildings and structures in Phnom Penh
Art Deco architecture
Tourist attractions in Phnom Penh
Market houses