Kuk Veang (Ta Veang Temple)

Also recorded as Wat Po Vang and Kuk Van, it is a small square brick temple, circa 9th century, located on contemporary monastery grounds. The temple opens to the east with a sandstone doorframe that is topped by a mostly decayed sandstone lintel still retaining on its right side the outline of an outward-facing Makara and upper decorative band. Above the lintel is an embossed carving that appears to be a pedestal and linga with the pedestal featuring an inset face, otherwise, perhaps a “flying palace” motif as common to the era with an arched window with a deity figure aka a “kudu”.

Around the other sides are false doors formed by the brickwork above which are more carvings repeating the style above the main door excepting the inset face.

Some time ago, the site had some restoration work done on the brickwork, a roof added, and a door locking the entrance. A sandstone doorstep is seen beside the site and past the pagoda on the east side, there is a modern Buddha statue overlooking a reservoir.

Update: dropping bay again in mid-2023 we were lucky to meet some locals there and the door was open. Today, they have placed a small deity inside the shrine, Preah Neang Srei Saat, or beautiful princess.

Historical Images

Undated – Via Fonds Cambodge

Historical Notes

This small building is located 800 meters northeast of the Tan Krasan bridge. It has a square, re-dented plan, with doors and false doors. The interior is blocked by a termite nest. Only the lower body and part of the first floor remain. The main part has a very sober base and cornice and the walls have frames, but without pilasters. The door, of a confused design, approaches the complete type. The central pilasters support nothing or received damping; the rear body ends in a low terrace with various moldings and it is the lintel which carries the arch and the reduction of the building which it encloses. This one, with two bodies, is abnormal; the front part is decorated with a smooth face interrupted at the top by a niche enclosing a head. The lintel is unfortunately completely disintegrated; it offered us one of the rare examples where makara, here almost entirely treated as decorations, are turned outwards; with their raised trunk they supported a pendant. As for the columns, they are octagonal.

The upper floor has the same plan; its basis is a little different. The false windows are replaced by a three-plane wall light; the former is itself another.

L’Art Khmer Primitif , 1927, Henri Parmentier

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..