Also known as Kong Phlouk Temple. It is an unusual site (for the Angkor area), featuring a stepped laterite pyramid, and not to be missed on an excursion to Beng Mealea. The site is found at the southeast corner of the baray of Beng Mealea and is unusually aligned on a north-south axis.
According to its art style, the site is believed to date to around the 12th century. Interestingly, the site shares distinct similarities to Preah Damrei at Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, which is also on a north-south axis at the southeast corner of the baray. As suggested by Jean Boisselier several decades ago, it may also be similar to the pyramidal structure at the western end of Banteay Chhmar. Also, note that both of these similar sites carry a slightly later art style of the Bayon period.
Built upon a stepped laterite rise and surrounded by an outer laterite wall with a gopura (gate) at each cardinal point, the central shrine consists of a pyramid of laterite that features a staircase aligned to each entry gopura.
The pyramid is approx. 20 m x 20 m around its base and several meters high in a good state of preservation bar extensive damage to the eastern side and whatever may have been at its core or even atop the structure.
The north gopura meets with an elevated and columned causeway that leads to a massive terrace formed of sandstone with a laterite base. By rough estimate, the terrace is perhaps 60 m at its widest point and 80 m long, including the elevated platform. The terrace drops off at its northern end, where it would have met the waters of the Beng Mealea’s baray (lake), also named by the French as Rahal Baray, or perhaps an outlet of the baray given its location right at the southeastern edge.
On the terrace itself, there is another low stepped rise, which would have perhaps been the balan (alter), but for what I do not know, a statue could be assumed. At the corners of the terrace were grand lions; one amazing example, albeit defaced, stands on the eastern side of the terrace. Another fallen lion can be seen near the causeway entrance onto the terrace.
The site was originally recorded as Prasat Beng Keo.
This monument is located towards the corner N.-E. du grand braray of Meala.
-It includes a pyramid surrounded by an enclosure and preceded by a terrace. All of these constructions probably stood in the middle of a basin which is currently partly filled in (fig. 151).
-The monument is oriented N.-S. and its main door opens to the N.
-The terrace is a stepped terrace, about 1.50 m high, built in sandstone, well profiled, accompanied by extensions where stairs decorated with lions end. Another terrace of a step rises on this one. It is accessed by steps shaped on the ridge. On the E. face, a stepped covering follows in its broad outline the sinuosities of the first; it turns towards the N., then disappears quickly. There does not seem to be anything similar towards the west.
-This terrace is connected to the monument, first by an extension similar to that which is to the N. and placed like it, then by a causeway formed of large slabs supported by columns. This bridge is cruciform: stairs allow one to descend to the end of the arms of the cross, they were decorated with lions. The bridge itself was bordered by nagas carried on dice. The water could circulate freely under this whole system.
-This causeway ends at a narrow terrace which surrounds the monument to the E. and S. It is about ten metres wide, 3 metres high, and descends in steps at a slope of about 30 degrees. In front of the causeway there is a door which interrupts a limonite wall, 3 metres high, on a strong terraced base of 1 metre.
-The limonite wall, crowned by a powerful coping of the same material, ends with a crest formed by a narrow sandstone slab pierced with round holes regularly spaced 30 to 40 centimeters apart and intended, as we have seen elsewhere, to fix the bases of a series of stone finials which form the crest. The entrance door corresponds to another door under the same tower, a curious arrangement: both are hardly more than 1 meter spacing (fig. 153). Nevertheless, although partly overturned, it is easy to see that this meager construction was designed with a vast undulating pediment, as seen on similar and deeper constructions. On the three other faces of the enclosure and on the axes, the same system is reproduced, but the external door is false.
-In the center of this enclosure rises a pyramid with slopes of about 45 degrees, in limonite. The steps are interrupted on the middle of the faces to give a staircase with relatively easy steps. The pyramid ends with a terrace of about 4 meters on each side; there is no detail there allowing a hypothesis about the termination of the monument.
-The monument has few decorations, apart from some chiselling on the doors, flamed pediments with multiple figures of which unfortunately only fragments remain, and some decorative lintels. Nothing remains of those of the exterior E., W., S. doors which were perhaps never decorated. Those of the N. door are buried under the rubble. That of the E. door is with foliage (modified type III), the generatrices being in an inverted W. In the centre, a character wearing a conical mukuța is seated on a long-stemmed lotus flower. On the lintel of the W. door (type III modified), quadruple W reversed, the two scrolls crossed at the start and blossoming around the crossing point, surrounding a Garuda carrying a god. At the S. door, the lintel, much more ruined (modified type III), presents the system with reversed W. In the center, a character is seated on a motif which seems to be either a large monster’s head, or a bed of foliage.
Lajonquiere, 1902
Map
*Important: mapped location may only be approximated to the district level/village only. To visit sites outside the tourist zones you should seek a local guide from the area read more.
Site Info
Site Name: Kong Pluk (Pr.) Khmer Name: បា្រសាទគងភ្លុក
Reference ID: HA11596 | Last Update: January 5th, 2025
Other Names: Kong Phlouk Temple, ប្រាសាទគងភ្លុក, Beng Kev, Ben Kev, Krush
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..
