Wat Meban

A contemporary monastery, named after the mother of a Khmer king, is built on a large low-level rise of an ancient site, Yeay Bang. The recently restored pagoda, surrounded by a moat, is quite colorful and richly adorned with artwork of contemporary Khmer Buddhist narratives. In the northeast corner is a neak ta shelter covering a termite mound.

Inside the pagoda, is one of the wonders of the so-called Middle Period or Post-Angkor era, which is the grand reclining Buddha and its intricately carved feet. Also, a grand stupa/chedi. The pedestals supporting four Buddha statues in front of the reclining Buddha are also from an ancient site and a long ornate gold-painted wooden beam is a remnant of the original pagoda prior to that which we see today.

On the very eastern side of the large monastery grounds, past the new pagoda, you can see the remains of a stupa dating to around the 16th century (I believe). Update: On revisiting the site in 08/22, a local informed us that the stupa contains the remains of three people including the mother of the king, Sdech Korn (Khmer: ស្ដេចកន) who reigned from 1512 to 1525 AD, and, whose statue is seen fronting the stupa.

The old pagoda features several embossed artwork panels of Buddhist narratives and is surrounded by sema stone. South of the old pagoda, in the field, is a large rising mound topped with a neak ta shelter.

Nearby are two other important pagodas, Prei Baing and Wat Sithor.

Rodney Charles LHuillier

Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap. Rodney Charles L'Huillier has spent over seven years in Cambodia and is the author of Ancient Cambodia (2024) and Essential Siem Reap (2017, 2019). Contact via [email protected] - more..