Olympic Stadium

Overview

The Olympic Stadium is a 1964 masterpiece of New Khmer Architecture designed by Vann Molyvann, Cambodia's most celebrated modern architect. Though the 1963 GANEFO Games it was built for were a modest affair, the complex — with its sweeping concrete canopies and landscaped grounds — is considered one of Southeast Asia's finest modernist buildings.

Highlights

• Vann Molyvann Design: Signature cantilevered roof and terraced landscape integrating architecture with topography.
• Open-Air Swimming Pool: A public pool within the sports complex.
• Morning Exercise: Locals use the grounds for jogging, aerobics, and badminton at dawn.

History

Built between 1962 and 1964 under Prince Sihanouk's modernisation programme, the stadium was designed for the 1963 Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO). Vann Molyvann's design was influenced by Le Corbusier but reinterpreted through a distinctly Cambodian lens. The complex has faced threats from commercial redevelopment but has been partially preserved.

Visitor Tips

• Early morning: Visit at dawn to see the grounds full of exercising locals.
• Architecture fans: Combine with other Vann Molyvann buildings around the city.
• Duration: 20–30 minutes.