Battambang Province : Old Stone Bridge

The “Old Stone Bridge” is located in front of the Battambang Provincial Hall. It was built in 1916. Currently, this stone bridge is a place of entertainment for citizens and tourists who come to breathe in the evening air. In addition to serving the citizens of Battambang province who travel through it for many years, this stone bridge on the Sangke River still stands for citizens to walk and exercise, including sitting and playing. After the presence of French authorities in Battambang province in 1907, 9 years later, in 1916, the French built a bridge called the Governor of French Indochina Pont du Albert Sarraut (Governor of French Indochina). This is according to the Battambang Provincial Tourism Department. This bridge is the first bridge across the Sangke River and is still there today. Today, it is often called the Old Stone Bridge because of the comparison with the three other stone bridges that were built later. The old stone bridge in Battambang is 109 years old. As of 2025, it is located in front of the Battambang Provincial History Museum (former Battambang Provincial Hall) across the Sangke River. It was built in 1916 (some documents state 1917) made of American concrete with a French-style civility. From 2020 until now, this bridge has not been allowed to be crossed by cars or motorbikes due to its dilapidated condition. At the western end of the bridge, there are two stone lions facing west, and it is famous through many songs written by the poet Kong Bunchhoeun. Because the bridge is in a dilapidated state and cannot be crossed by cars, the provincial administration built another bridge nearby, called the 13 Makara Bridge (construction began on January 13, 2020 and was completed on August 13, 2020), to facilitate travel across the Sangke River.