Étienne François Aymonier (1844-1929), with local Cambodian assistants, was the first to comprehensively survey the temples and archaeological ruins of Cambodia and the greater ancient Khmer Empire. This work was published in three volumes: Le Cambodge I, II, & III (1900-1904). The map below features the sites in present-day Cambodia, that were documented in those volumes.
Also known as Kampong Kdei Bridge, Preah Toes Bridge, or Spean Kampong Kdei, it is a grand ancient laterite bridge measuring 86 m long and 14 m wide with 21 arches and topped by a sandstone balustrade with stunning ornamental naga. It received some restorative work in the 1920s and comprehensive restoration in the 1960s … Read more
Also recorded as Prasat Praptos, it’s the remains of a laterite temple that carries inscriptions from the 10th century. Not a lot remains of the site today bar a partially standing laterite wall, some plinths, and an inscribed sandstone doorframe. Whilst no foundation stele was discovered to record such, George Coedes noted the site as … Read more
Featuring three standing brick towers, library building, outer gallery wall measuring 30 m x 25 m, outer moat, and large basin in the east, and an adjacent contemporary monastery. Thnal Dach is a charming remote site in the Angkor region. The outer wall is still standing in part featuring a main entrance on the east … Read more
Modern monastery, Wat Kriel, built near the remains of an ancient site.
Beng Mealea (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបឹងមាលា) is one of the ancient Khmer Empires’ larger temple complexes and is located 40 km east of the main group of temples at Angkor Archeological Park along the ancient royal highway that led to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay. According to the architectural style, similar to that of Angkor Wat, it … Read more
Also recorded as Prasat Daun Chan and Dong Chan, it is located around 400m to the southwest of the western entrance of Beng Mealea Temple. It features an outer laterite enclosure wall with a single cruciform entrance pavilion (gopura) on the eastern side and a single shrine with a library building in the southeast corner. … Read more
Also known as Chrey Temple, Prasat Chrey and even Prasat Chrek. It is sandstone temple with two libraries, outer wall with entry gopura, terrace (listed here), and basin. It is a feature of the ancient Royal Road network and one of the several structures that early French researchers would classify as “Temple d’étape” (waypoint or … Read more
Also recorded as Spean Ta Oak and Spean Ta Oung. It is an ancient laterite bridge measuring 63 m long, 12 m wide, and 7.3 m high featuring 14 arches, and is recorded as the largest bridge along the ancient East Royal Road that connected Angkor to Beng Mealea to Preah Khan (Kampong Svay) – … Read more
Also known as Prasat Teap Chei or Prasat Toap Chey Toch, it is a “resthouse” or “firehouse” that was a feature along the ancient East & Northwest Royal Road. It is currently kept cleared and there is a foot trail connecting to the nearby Toap Chey Thom. Images 2024 Images 2021 Historical Notes The neighbouring site of … Read more
Bayon Temple is a richly decorated ancient Khmer temple located at the center of Angkor Thom in Angkor Archeological Park of Siem Reap, Cambodia. It is one of the must-see temples when visiting the area being famous for its array of towers with smiling faces and “baroque” architecture in a Khmer context. From an architectural … Read more
Tep Pranam (Khmer: ប្រាសាទទេពប្រណម្យ), located inside Angkor Thom, is a “Buddhist terrace” featuring seated lions and naga balustrades with a giant seated Buddha. It is located just north of the Terrace of the Leper King. The terrace is typical of Buddhist Terrace constructions being low height, cruciform shape, and facing east. Preceded by an approx.. … Read more
The ancient Royal Palace is a large rectangular (600m x 260m) walled area located within Angkor Thom to the northwest of Bayon Temple. Originally built by King Suryavarman I in the 10-11th century adding to the already existing Phimeanakas temple, it is from here that a series of kings would have ruled over the entire … Read more
The Terrace of the Leper King, also known as Preah Lean Sdach Kumlung, is located in Angkor Thom, immediately north of the Terrace of the Elephants and just south of Tep Pranam. It’s a unique construction in the ancient Khmer context featuring an amazing array of carvings of personages, devas, royalty and animal figures. It’s … Read more
Kor Sak Temple, or Preah Pithu T, is located in Angkor Thom and is one of the five temples that make up what is known as Preah Pithu Group which are located to the northeast of the ancient Royal Palace. The ancient temple was originally dedicated to Vishnu, opening to the west with a large … Read more
Prasat Chorm, or Preah Pithu U, or Chorm Temple, is a small sandstone temple, surrounded by a wall, and sharing an “island” created by an outer moat with Preah Pithu T (Kor Sak Temple). The outer wall, with entrances at each cardinal point, leads to the small cruciform shaped temple that rises up on a … Read more
Located just north of Bayon and featuring a monumental Buddha statue, it’s one of the many Buddhist terraces attributed to the post-Angkor period created using recycled masonry from prior ancient sites. It is a simple but large terrace, formed by a platform of laterite blocks recorded as 90 meters by 24 meters that rises around … Read more
Differing from others in the Preah Pithu group, Ta Tuot is a Buddhist Temple converted from an earlier Hindu temple sometime around the 14th century. It is a sandstone temple atop a large and tall platform atop of which is a stepped pyramid-style base with four stairways leading to the central shrine also with entrances … Read more
Preah Pithu V, or Duan Mea Temple, is an early 12th Century Hindu temple located in Angkor Thom. It is part of what is known as the Preah Pithu Group which references five temples that are clustered together, although, not necessarily constructed at the same time. The site does not feature a foundation inscription and … Read more
Preah Pithu Y, or Kandork Yeak Temple, is a 12th-century sandstone temple located in Angkor Thom. It was originally dedicated to Vishnu. It is one of the five temples in the Preah Pithu Group and differs greatly from the other four in many ways. Similar though is the fact that it sits atop a large … Read more
Known as Spean Thmor, or Spean Thma (Khmer: ស្ពានថ្ម) in Angkor Archeological Park is an ancient sandstone bridge located west of Ta Keo. It was built on the former path of the Siem Reap River between Angkor Thom and the Eastern Baray and it was rebuilt/constructed sometime between the 13-17th century, officially recorded as the 17th … Read more
Chau Say Tevoda (Khmer: ប្រាសាទចៅសាយទេវតា) is a temple at Angkor Archeological Park, Siem Reap Cambodia. It is located just east of Angkor Thom before the Victory Gate and directly opposite Thommanon Temple. Chau Say Tevoda is often overlooked on a tour of the temples which is a shame, as it is, in my mind at least, … Read more
Thommanon Temple is a small but very ornate temple featuring beautiful bas-relief pediments located east of the Victory Gate of Angkor Thom and north of Chau Say Tevoda. Although no foundation inscription was found, it is dated by art style to the late 11th or early 12th century and generally attributed to the reign of … Read more
Prasat Ta Keo is another grand example of the ancient Khmer concept of the “temple mountain” featuring a monumental stepped-pyramid base topped with five massive towers. Located east of Angkor Thom, north of Angkor Wat, and on the west side of the East Baray, it is dated to the 11th century. Visiting Ta Keo Temple … Read more
Ta Prohm temple is located 3 km northeast of Angkor Wat, and around 12 km northeast of Siem Reap city. It is an ancient Buddhist monastic complex that was constructed in 1186 AD under the reign of the Khmer King, Jayavarman VII, and is popularly known in modern culture as the “Tomb Raider Temple”. The … Read more
Banteay Kdei Temple is a charming ancient temple located opposite the grand basin of Srah Srang to which it was once connected. Built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, it is in the Bayon architectural style, with a flat layout plan similar to the nearby Ta Prohm … Read more
Prasat Kravan (Khmer: ប្រាសាទក្រវាន់) is a 10th-century temple constructed in the era of Harshavarman I (reign circa 910-922 AD) consisting of five brick towers. The temple was dedicated to Vishnu in 921 AD, according to the inscription. It’s a site that is often skipped, which is a shame, as the style of bas-relief carvings here … Read more
Prasat Bat Chum (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបាទជុំ) is a small temple located to the northeast of Angkor Wat and south of Srah Srang. It features three brick shrines aligned on a north-south axis and open to the east. According to its inscription, it was conceived by Kavindrarimathana, a Buddhist minister of Khmer king Rajendravarman, at the middle … Read more
Pre Rup (Khmer: ប្រាសាទប្រែរូប) is a grand brick temple with a quincunx of towers rising from a pyramid base to form the “temple mountain”, an architectural concept of the ancient Khmer to represent the sacred Mount Meru in Hindu beliefs. Located around 5km to the northeast of Angkor Wat, which it predates, it was built … Read more
Prasat Leak Neang is a small temple located opposite Pre Rup inside Angkor Archaeological Park. According to an inscription, the building dates from 960 and was built in the era of king Rajendravarman II (reign 944 to 968 AD). The single brick temple has a square base, 4.5 m a side and rises up with … Read more