Formerly a royal palace during the reign of King Sisowath, hence the name dam nak (palace), today Wat Dam Nak is home to the Center for Khmer Studies (www.khmerstudies.org), an independent institution promoting a greater understanding of Khmer culture with a drop-in research library on-site.
![Stupas in garden at Wat Dam Nak.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2019-06/GettyImages-148938234_high.jpg?w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cedges&auto=format&q=75)
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A traditional Buddhist temple in the heart of Siem Reap, this is the easiest one to explore for the casual visitor.
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