Among the most ancient pagodas built in Phnom Penh built in 1442, Wat Langka is considered an important one, which is situated in southwest of the Independence Monument on Preah Sihanouk Blvd. Its importance is marked as the aim of building is to function as a sanctuary for the Holy Writings and a meeting place for Cambodian and Sri Lankan monks. The Pagoda was named to respect these meetings. During the Khmer Rouge era, Langka Pagoda functioned as a storehouse, which leads to manages afterwards to avoid complete destruction.

As people have known, part of the radical revolutionary program of the Khmer Rouge involved the destruction of Khmer Buddhism. People say that there were only a dozen monks alive and in Cambodia by the time the Pol Pot regime fell in 1979. Wat Langka was obviously used as a storehouse by the Khmer Rouge, so it could avoid entire destruction. Nowadays, after getting total renovation, this temple becomes a critical place for Buddhism visiting since it was originally designated the principle library for religious writings. The pagoda has the name of Langka given that the monastery originally housed an order from Sri Lanka.

As regards of the construction, there is no record of when this temple was build. However, relying on the Khmer-oriented stupa as well as pagoda’s location, people assumes that it was constructed in the early Ayutthaya period. Royal Chronicles refer to a monastery that might have actually been Wat Langka. According to the history, after King Intharacha passed away in 1424, two of his sons attended a competition on elephant to win the crown. Both of two princes tried their best to be the winner: prince Ai Phraya set himself up at the Municipality of Maphrao (coconut) Forest at the Chai Pavilion, while his brother “Prince Yi Phraya at the Chaiyaphum Monastery. However, it was pitiful that they two lost their lives in the duel at Than Forest Bridge, so a third brother inherited the throne instead.

In situ, visitors can find a whole gamut of interesting designs. There is a single prang-shaped stupa in the Khmer style. The stucco designs on this prang are still tangible in some sections, and a headless figure wielding a sword is perched high above on the southwestern side. There is a hole on the eastern side that can be entered. More interestingly, the interior is hollow and maybe that is the reason why a huge amount of bats come to make nest and settle here.