Phnom Bayang Temple

Located atop the mountain of the same name, Prasat Phnom Bayang features a large temple complex located atop a small plateau high up on the mountain, Phnom Bayang. Not only spectacular for its amazing location, architecture, and artwork, the site also provides an array of ancient inscriptions revealing its importance from the 7th century through to the 12th century. It’s also the origin of several beautiful museum-held bronze works.

As mentioned, Phnom Bayang Temple sits atop the mountain peak at some 273 m and today is reached by a trail that winds its way around the mountain leading to the original laterite staircase that’s still in use today. The temple is on an unusual axis, NW/SE with the shrine opening to the southeast, perhaps necessary because of the terrain. Also on the mountain range, there are several other temples with Preah Ko temple on the same route to Phnom Bayang Temple and located 1.5 km to the east and accessed by a different road, there is Ta Nhean East, Ta Nhean West, and Kampoul Ta Non.

It takes around 20 minutes by moto (you could also walk) to the base of the summit where there is a small area with a couple of stalls and space for moto parking, and the grand laterite staircase, ruinous, that takes a steep path up to the temple. The staircase itself is a wonder, let alone the temple ahead and there is a rope to assist which can be useful at times.

The stairs fade in places until reaching the grand entrance staircase, and here you can see the extent of the work to sure up the plateau and create a base for the complex.

The layout plan from Inventaire descriptif des monuments du Cambodge.

That staircase (J) leads directly to a type of galleried terrace with chambered rooms (G, F, E – all in ruin) that leads directly into the chamber with four pillars (B – in ruin) and then into the central temple (A), a grand brick tower measuring 10 m per side.

There are remains of a small building (D) and an outer laterite wall are seen (K). Prasat H, a small “cell” on the southern side is only partly standing showing a trace outline of a false door. Records from the 1930s show it is having beautiful door columns with relief carvings of a female deity

Just outside and overlooking the plateau’s edge is the remains of a “library” building (I).

The star of the show here, of course, is the central temple which is not only massive and ornate, it also packs a big surprise. More on that in a minute, but first around the outside which you should go slowly because this is one of the most ornate of the big brick temples. Keep looking through the ruin and you’ll keep noticing the profound amount of masonry work including the stunning “flying palaces” on each side and perhaps too on the upper levels.

SO, what’s the big surprise? It has another temple inside! The inner temple also opens to the east with a ruinous entrance and leaves a narrow gap between it and its encasing temple. Around the sides you can see elaborate brickwork emphasizing the base molding and eaves, also it seeming has false doors in the brickwork with a pediment but a little dark to see. There also seems to be a water spout coming out its north wall. Inside, it is presently packed with statuary of the Buddha.

The views here are quite special and can be had from various vantage points around the temple and along the stairway.

On the plains below, passed over on the trail to the site, are the remains of what may have been an entrance gate to the site.

Getting to Phnom Bayang – it is located around 140 km south of Phnom Penh via road 2 (or a combination of road 3 and road 2) and just a few km west of the village of Kirivong. The turnoff to the site isn’t signposted and is a simple dirt trail that leads to the base of the mountain and then, looking to the left, you’ll see a narrow concreted path leading up the mountain. The cemented path looks like a foot trail but the locals said going by moto is fine too and they were of course correct. It’s steep in places but no problems even for the small 100cc bike and takes around 20-30 min to the top. The trail up is marked correctly on Google Maps.

Inscriptions at Phnom Bayang

• K. 13 – stele (in the Guimet Museum) with 12 lines of Sanskrit, carrying dates of 604 and 624 AD noting the establishment/restoration of a Shivapada on the platform of a mountain by Vidyavindu and the addition of a basin – ISC, n° V, p. 31
• K. 14 – stele (in the Guimet Museum) with 20 lines of Sanskrit noting a donation by King Indravarman of a sanctuary – ISCC, n° XXXVIII, p. 312
• K. 483 – from a doorframe with 29 lines of Sanskrit – noting donations by a king, Bhavavarman, which is speculated to date to 640 AD noting the construction of an exteriour wall speculated to predate the wall existing at the site today. Noting also donations to Utpannesvara/Utpannakesvara (Deity of the temple).
• K. 849 – from a doorframe, 5 lines of Khmer, fragmented
• K. 850 – stele with 23 lines of Khmer speculated to note King Dharanindravarman II noting provisions allocated for Sankranta – IC I, p. 268
• K. 851- one line of Sanskrit, a blessing to Jaimini
• K. 852 – 12 lines of Khmer from a stele, noting the creation of an ashrama, Bhadrecvaracrama, by King Dharanindravarman I , also mentioning the locality of Civapura within the district of Dhanyapura – IC I, p. 267
• K. 853 – 18 lines of Sanskrit from a stele, noting King Yasovarman I and his ascetic, Amarabhava – IC I, p. 256
• K. 854 – 32 lines of Sanskrit with an invocation to Utpannakesvara and what is speculated to be the eulogy of Jayavarman IV, honors his son Hasarvarman II and notes the construction of a monastery. Girindracrama
• K. 858 – Sanskrit, fragmented – IC I, p. 255
• K. 859 – from a stele – 3 lines of Sanskrit, fragmented noting King Yasovarman and the diety of the temple, Utpannakesvara
• K. 860 – 3 lines of Sanskrit, fragmented – IC I, p. 256
• K. 861 – 4 lines of Sankrit, fragmented – IC I, p. 260
• K. 862 – stele with 4 lines of Khmer
• K. 863 – stele fragment with 7 lines of Sanskrit, incomplete, noting a shivite hermitage
• K. 864 – 2 lines of Khmer from a stele fragment
• K. 865 – stele with 14 lines of Sanskrit + 6 lines of Khmer + 19 lines of Khmer

Historical Photos

Several bronze works were found at the site and recorded as being lodged with the Phnom Penh National Museum including a very cool dancing Hanuman more images here.

Layout plans and illustrations – Henri Mauger 1937