Ta Bos Temple

Located northeast of Preah Khan of Kampong Svay and southwest of Tabos village in Preah Vihear, Prasat Ta Bos (or Tabas Temple) is an interesting site located atop a large natural rise and positioned beside a rock monolith that dominates that rise.

It’s a square laterite temple that features a tall, tiered three-level base with stairs on the eastern side leading up to its entrance which is formed of sandstone as are the false doors that fill the other three sides. Noting the false doors and the door columns, they received no final decorative carving so, it appears the site was never fully completed. The temple appears as though it may have had a terrace or laterite causeway leading east. We also wandered around the rock monolith that rises up on the northern side of the temple wondering if it had any religious significance, but came up blank.

Inside the shrine, a decayed sandstone three-slot pedestal can be seen.

In front of the shrine, there is also a small collection of sandstone pieces including two pedestals. The interesting thing here, there are more pedestals than there are shrines 🙂

En route to the site, you can cross a beautiful stream that has a black sandstone pebble-like bed and the general area is quite charming.

Rodney Charles LHuillier

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