To the south of Psar Nat market, the Colonial Quarter marks the historical centre of Battambang. Its three main roads are lined with former Chinese trading houses (whose architecture exemplifies the French Protectorate period), with shops on the ground floor and storage and living space for the family upstairs. The small Chinese pagoda facing the river serves as a reminder of the power and influence of the Celestial Empire, which controlled all trade, and was very active in the city in the last century.