Benefitting from the fertile and productive land surrounding it, Battambang has long been heralded for its food, art, and cultural scene, and it has become a tourism destination.

By 1880, Battambang had emerged as an important trading city inhabited by around 2,500 residents, with the river acting as the main transportation link to Phnom Penh and Saigon.

This first attempt at modernization led to well-defined streets laid in a grid pattern and a series of open canals and bridges, in the locality now known as the Heritage Conservation Area.

[3] In 1926, a second phase of urban development was implemented, focusing on the west of Battambang, with a newly constructed railway linking the city to Phnom Penh.

[2] Textile and garment factories were built by French and Chinese investors, Battambang Airport was constructed, and the railway line was extended to the Thai border at Poipet.

To serve the cultural needs of the population, numerous schools and a university were built, as well as a sports centre, a museum, and an exhibition hall.

[6] Development stalled in Battambang under the Khmer Republic, and it was abandoned altogether during Democratic Kampuchea, with its population forcibly evacuated into labour camps and land tenure being abolished.

[3] Battambang Provincial Museum was converted into a prison,[7] and the Phnom Sampeau killing caves, a Khmer Rouge execution site, are located around six kilometres from the city.

[8] In 1980, following the Vietnamese invasion, thousands of refugees returned to the city, but plans for further development could not take place due to lack of investment.

[6] Starting in 1989, when private property rights were reintroduced, Battambang began to develop an economy around agricultural products, and small businesses emerged.

Inaugurated in 2017, the round, nine-sided edifice features a central dome, spire, and winged parapets that are reminiscent of Phnom Penh's Chaktomuk Conference Hall.

[3] The city's annual budget of US$625,000 from the national government is supplemented by international development funds and private investment, allowing it to build improved infrastructure such as sewage treatment and roads.

[3] Battambang has been noted for its longstanding importance as a hub for Cambodian art, music, and culture, with many famous artists and singers born or based in the city.

[6][8] The Khmer Rouge era led to the persecution or disappearance of many prominent artists and musicians as well as a decline in the arts scene, but efforts have been made to revitalise it post-conflict.

[6][8] The cultural non-governmental organization Phare Ponleu Selpak, which provides free arts education and training to young, disadvantaged people, is based in Battambang and also coordinates a contemporary circus.

[20] UNESCO recognised Battambang's initiatives in promoting Khmer cuisine and street food, and incorporating culture into urban development.