Wat Chedei (Siem Reap)

Prasat Chedei is located to the southeast of Siem Reap city, Cambodia, at the pagoda/monastery of the same name. It is a square brick temple, around 6 m per side, featuring a sandstone doorway with decorated columns that are topped by a lintel in great condition depicting Indra on his elephant, Airvata. Inside, the temple features a reclining Buddha sculpture and two smaller Buddha statues.

The site is fascinating as it takes the shape of a stupa (common to the 15th century onward) rather than a typical ancient brick temple belonging to the pre-11th century. So, is what we see a later modification to the original brick temple? Remnants certainly suggest it is a pre-11th c site, but, I cannot find any info on when it took its current form. It would appear at least that the site has been rendered in recent times as photos from 1936 seem to show bare brickwork (see B/W images further below). There is also a small section on the outer wall of the temple that has been left unrendered exposing the brickwork (or a researcher cut away the rendering?).

The ancient temple is fronted by a contemporary pagoda that has been replaced again by a larger modern pagoda immediately to its south. Around the site, you can see sandstone remnants including a linga and pedestal, sandstone blocks, some laterite blocks but not many, a deposit stone, plus remnants of sandstone pedestals behind the Buddha in the pagoda.

Records indicate the site featured an outer laterite wall and of course, the moat which is still active today. The site is easy to reach and the roads are in good condition.

Historical Photos (property of EFEO)

These photos were taken in 1936 while the remnants of the Buddha on Naga statue was taken in 1952

Rodney Charles LHuillier

Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap - Contact via [email protected] - more..