Lolei Temple (Roluos Group)

Located east of Siem Reap, Prasat Lolei, or Loley, is a fascinating and charming 9th-century ancient brick temple group located north of Prasat Preah Ko and Prasat Bakong in what is known as the Roluos group of temples. Whilst today it is accessed by road and surrounded by fields, it once sat at the center of the large man-made lake known as Indratataka baray.

Layout

The site features a tiered laterite platform measuring around 100 m x 100m in width and length and rising in total to around 3 m in height. On the site today we see a contemporary pagoda and the remains of four brick temples that have been receiving restoration work for some time and are ongoing as of mid-2022.

The temples feature stunning craftsmanship seen in the remaining sandstone lintels, friezes, the beautiful guardian niches set into the temple walls, door columns, the false doors, and also the brick molding of the temple. Four temples, two rows of two, is an odd configuration with three temples in a row being the norm, such as noted in early explorations by French archeologists who assumed there likely to be another temple in either row on the northern side having been demolished or never started construction.

The temples open to the east with the temple on the northeast corner featuring a lintel above its entrance with Indra on Airvata and above the entrance of the northwest corner temple, the central idol being well beaked Garuda. Some lintels in lesser condition can be seen above the false doors which are formed of sandstone also and quite ornate.

History

The Roluos group of temples (a name drawn from the nearby village) were the pre-Angkorian state temples of the 9th-century ancient city of Hariharalaya which was the forerunner to the later city of Yashodaharapura that would later become Angkor. Many of the temples in this group were built or completed under the reign of consecutive kings, Lolei was the last, or one of the last, and completed under the reign of Yashovarman I in 893 AD.

The site features a wealth of inscriptions, all noted further below, and according to experts, the two principal towers were dedicated to king Yashovarman’s parents Indravarman and Indradevī, while the secondary towers were dedicated to his maternal grandparents, Mahīpativarman and his consort Rājendradevī. The inscriptions also reveal a great deal about the role of workers at the temple, see references for more info.

In recent years, the Apsara National Authority (ANA) has been carrying out excavations revealing an ancient wall surrounding the temples, gopura, and what possibly may be a “library” structure along with finding ancient urns buried as sacred deposits. Some of that work is ongoing with there surely more to be revealed. The restoration of the ancient temple site by APSARA has been going on for some time and they also completed a restoration of the pagoda in late 2022.

Visiting Prasat Lolei

The site can be reached easily by heading east out of Siem Reap on Road 6 for about 13 km and turning left following the road for about 1 km to the site. A tuk-tuk will cost around $5 one way to Prasat Lolei. You will also need an Angkor Pass which covers all the temples in this area and the sites open from 7.30 – 5.30.

You should most definitely include the nearby temples of Preah Ko, Prasat Bakong, and Prei Monti. If you have more time, Trapeang Phong is another very special temple in the area, and there are several smaller sites that are all listed here.

Gallery

During Restoration works in 2021/22

Excavation of the gopura basement

The Pagoda

Historical Photos via Fonds Cambodge/Persee-BEFEO – images mostly dated to 1951

Inscriptions

The site features a wealth of inscriptions noting the date of foundation, 893 AD, the dedication of the temples and roles or workers as noted earlier, the erection of statues including Shiva and Gaurī, and donations made to the temples.

• K. 323 – a double-sided stele with 49 + 53 lines of Sanskrit – ISCC, n° LV, p. 391
• K. 324 – doorframe – featuring Sanskrit and Khmer – ISCC, n° XXXIX, p. 319
• K. 325 – doorframe – 24 + 36 lines of Khmer – NIC II-III, p .67
• K. 326 – doorframe – 15 + 14 lines of Khmer
• K. 327 – doorframe – Sanskrit and Khmer – ISCC, n° XL, p. 319
• K. 328 – doorframe – 22 lines of Khmer
• K. 329 – doorframe – 11 + 18 lines of Khmer
• K. 330 – doorframe – Sanskrit + Khmer – ISCC, n° XL, p. 319
• K. 331 – doorframe – Sanskrit + Khmer – ISCC, n° XL, p. 319
• K. 332 – doorframe – 14 lines of Khmer
• K. 333 – pillar – unknown location – 48 + 55 lines of Khmer text
• K. 334 – pillar – unknown location – 50 lines of Khmer text
• K. 335 – pillar – unknown location – 18 lines of Khmer text
• K. 336 – pillar – unknown location – 30 lines of Khmer text
• K. 337 – pillar – unknown location – 18 + 40 lines of Khmer text – NIC II-III, p .87
• K. 338 – pillar – unknown location – 18 + 40 lines of Khmer text
• K. 947 – pillar – north gopura – 30 + 5 lines of Khmer – Soutif 2009, p. 533

References

• The Khmer Inscriptions of Roluos (Preah Ko and Lolei), Michael Vickery, 1999
• L’Architecture hindoue en Extrême-Orient, Général L. de Beylié, 1907