The Independence Monument was built in 1958 for Cambodia's independence from France in 1953: it stands on the intersection of Norodom Boulevard and Sihanouk Boulevard in the centre of the city. It is in the form of a lotus-shaped stupa, of the style seen at the great Khmer temple at Angkor Wat and other Khmer historical sites. The Independence Monument was designed by the Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann.