Also recorded as Athvea, or Prasat Wat Athvear, it is a 12th-century ancient temple with an active Buddhist pagoda and monastery adjacent to the walled ancient structure. Originally a Hindu temple, the ancient temple’s design, and the distinctive style of its devata/Apsara (sacred female images), indicate that it was originally built during the reign of … Read more
Located atop Phnom Kulen, and often referred to as the Reclining Buddha, Preah Ang Thom (Khmer: ព្រះអង្គធំ) is an 8 meters (26 ft) tall statue of the reclining Buddha reaching nirvana. The statue is carved into a huge natural sandstone boulder to which a modern staircase has been added along with a shelter over the … Read more
Also spelled Enkosey Temple (Khmer: ប្រាសាទព្រះឥន្ទ្រកោសិយ), or Preah Enkosai Temple, was built (or at least restored) in the 10th century under the reign of king Rajendravarman II (r. 944-968). It is a small temple site that is hidden away behind a functioning pagoda of the same name. It comprises two brick sanctuaries, the remains of … Read more
Located almost 100 km directly east of Angkor Wat in the southwest corner of Preah Vihear Province, Preah Khan of Kampong Svay is a vast complex of sandstone and laterite constructions dating primarily from the 9th to 13th century with the majority of the site’s development attributed to Suryavarman II (reign c. 1113 AD to … Read more
Perhaps originally a group of three temples, what we see today is an ancient temple constructed of sandstone and laterite that is fronted by a terrace created from temple remains including lintels and plinths. The remaining temple is square and constructed of laterite with sandstone pilasters, doorframes, false doors, and base molding. Unusually, the temple … Read more
Square laterite temple on monastery grounds. Interestingly, sema stones and bollards have been reused to demarcate the area surrounding the tower and the contemporary pagoda immediately in front of it. Surrounding the tower itself is a collection of stone pieces, parts of statues, and other pieces to suggest it was a much larger site at … Read more
Preah Theat Preah Srei is one of my favourite sites in Cambodia featuring an unusual and grand pagoda that elegantly incorporated the ruins of the ancient temple that once existed at the site. Originally the site featured a brick temple complex, which as mentioned, has been consumed into the contemporary pagoda and monastery that was … Read more
Located within the large ancient area of Banteay Prei Nokor, and inside the monastery grounds of Wat Prei Angkor Knoung Sdech Kan, Prasat Preah Thom features two standing brick temples located directly behind the pagoda. Both temples are made of brick, are on a north-south axis and open to the east but similarities end there. … Read more
A contemporary monastery that is built atop an ancient site. It features a moat and basin in the east. Around the eastern side, you can see many sandstone remains and around the base of the pagoda itself you can see molded laterite. Actually, the setting is quite beautiful, and currently (05/2021) the site is in … Read more
Located 180m east of Tuol Bayok and a little over 1km east of Wat Tralaeng Kaeng, Toul Reachea is a Buddhist Terrace/vihara dating back to the Post-Angkorian era of the 15th-19th century and perhaps more precisely around the 16th-17th century of the Longvek-Oudong eras. Along with many other heritage sites, it sits within the ancient … Read more
Also recorded as Wat Saravan, it is a monastery and contemporary pagoda located in central Phnom Penh. It features some beautiful stupa/chedi, ornate sema stones embedded into the pagoda walls, with beautiful murals inside. In the 1930s, the French researcher, Parmentier, mentioned a Ganeca statue seen here. I believe a collection of Pali manuscripts were … Read more
Also known as 120 pillar pagoda, it’s a site dating back to the 16th-17th centuries of the Longvek Era, recently a new pagoda has been raised on the site, featuring as you would likely guess, 120 pillars. Before today’s pagoda, a Buddhist Terrace constructed of laterite was recorded here. About 200m to the southeast is … Read more
Ancient walled site located beside a contemporary monastery. The walled site is not large, around 25 m x 35 m long with a sandstone doorframe still standing on the east and a large opening on the west which may well be a later modification. The temple itself is no longer to be seen bar a … Read more
A large chedi that was constructed in 2006 that is extremely well built using a laterite base for the platform and in the body of the stupa itself. It is located en route to Wat Sothyro Ratanaream (Khmer: វត្តសុធីរោរតនារាម)
An intriguing ancient site that was built atop Phnom Srah Khchau, a then atop a man-made stepped rise with remnants likely dating back to around the 7-8th century. The stepped rise which created a level base for the temple is quite large and steps upwards three times, reducing in size as it goes, with a … Read more
Also recorded as Roung Temple, Prasat Baset, it is a 7th century brick temple located just north of a monastery, Wat Phnom Ba, on the hillside of Phnom Baset. You can reach the site by heading up to the monastery and stopping short at the lower car park and then walking to the old pagoda … Read more
Also noted as Svay Ie, Svay Loe, Bei Serei Sithor, and Wat Prasat Sirisotha. On the grounds of the contemporary monastery and pagoda is a standing brick temple, circa 10th century, that was once a group of three. The ancient temple sits tightly against the rear of the contemporary pagoda and is partially encapsulated by … Read more
Remains of a Buddhist Terrace from the Post-Angkorian era. In recent times some contemporary shrines have been added while the sites retain several sandstone (?) sema stones. Some of the sema *may* be reproductions, while one appears to be an original featuring a decorative band around its base and a decorated flange that would have … Read more
Also recorded as Prasat Kambot/Kombot and Ta Hem. This fascinating small temple hidden away in the back blocks of a farming area features impressive carvings of a standing Buddha on its north, west, and south walls. The towering relief carvings are quite decayed but still clear in their outline. The carvings break a double cornice … Read more
Also recorded as Aur Tuk Haub Temple and Prasat Chei/Chey, it is located about 4 km west of Preah Khan of Kampong Svay near the ancient route that led to Beng Mealea. The site is quite ruinous and from lay observation, it would appear to possibly be a construction type that early French researchers would … Read more
Also known as Toul Reachea, it is located about 1km east of Wat Tralaeng Kaeng. It is a Buddhist Terrace/vihara dating back to the Post-Angkorian era of the 15th-19th century and perhaps more precisely around the 16th-17th century of the Longvek-Oudong eras. Along with many other heritage sites, it sits within the ancient moated citadel … Read more
Remnants of Buddhist Terrace from the 16th-17th century Longvek era. The site was locked on our previous visits to the area in 2021, Aug 2023 and Feb 2024, there is a phone number to call, but we didn’t want to put any to the hassle. The site’s original sema stones can still be seen in … Read more
Located in the cluster of shrines located east of Wat Traleang Keng in Longvek, the site features a contemporary shrine under construction that is surrounded by older leaf-style sema. As per other sites in the area, it has its roots in the 16th-17th century.
Located south of ancient Longvek’s outer wall and moat, the site features a contemporary shelter atop a high mound that is surrounded by ancient sema stones. Inside the shelter, is an incredible collection of Buddhist sculptures and several ancient remnants, one assumes, from the 16th-17th century. The kindhearted caretaker at the site states most of … Read more
A rise where ancient remains including sema stone, sema pedestal, laterite, and sandstone blocks are seen. Update Aug 2023 The site now features an enclosed hall covering the site.
Monastery housing remains from an ancient site in a shelter including a very beautiful late-era sema stone, several pedestals, a bollard, and sandstone plinth.
Contemporary monastery where a collection of interesting lions (old, not ancient) and a shelter containing a collection of remnants, some likely from an ancient site. I am not sure of the pagodas name, the only two people at the site were having a midday nap at the time of visiting 🙂
A contemporary monastery and pagoda housing some interesting remnants of an ancient temple. Among those remnants are the remains of one rather large sandstone pedestal, and several others nearby the monk’s residence.
Located east of the RN 6 in Baray District, the site is moat moat-surrounded mound featuring a contemporary shelter/shrine and a collection of ancient sandstone remnants from a temple that once existed here. The collection of remnants includes mostly pedestals, some of a slightly unusual nature which may have been masonry altered when the site … Read more
A contemporary monastery and pagoda located by the river in the beautiful area of Kampong Chikreng. The sites basin has recently been redeveloped in Angkorian style and looks great while the pagoda is typical of those of the colonial era, also featuring beautiful old murals lining its inner walls and ceiling. Here, inside the pagoda … Read more