Henri Parmentier (1871-1949) continued on the earlier inventory works of ancient Cambodia by Aymonier and Lajonquiere, comprehensively documenting numerous temples and archaeological ruins. This inventory work was published within Complément à l’inventaire descriptif des monuments du Cambodge (1913), L’Art Khmer Primitif (1929), and L’Art Khmer Classique (1939). The map below presents the sites documented in those three works.
Located atop the mountain in the ancient area of Angkor Borei, Prasat Phnom Da is a well-preserved brick temple. Whilst the Angkor Borei area and several remains here, including the caves sites, date back to the Funan era of the 1st to 6th century, the temple we see today was constructed around the 11th century … Read more
Phnom Chisor is a popular ancient temple and contemporary monastery site located around 50 km south of Phnom Penh in Takeo Province, Cambodia. The ancient temple is quite large and wonderous, built on the hillside with a spectacular staircase that leads down to two entrance pavilions down on the plains below with the outer pavilion … Read more
Located around 50 km south of Phnom Penh, it was originally a group of three brick temples, surrounded by a moat and enclosure wall, of which two remain mostly standing. They were built during the 10th century under the reign of King Jayavarman IV and dedicated to Vishnu. Today, they are located in the monastery … Read more
Located atop Phnom Tamao, and also recorded as Tamao Mountain Temple, the site features the remains of a brick temple that was once a pair of temples. The remaining brick temple has a contemporary monastery built around it and with the characterful landscape of rocky boulders and views over the plains, it’s a small but … Read more
Recorded today as Wat Speu. It was once an ancient brick temple site, today housing a contemporary monastery and pagoda. Historical Notes The modern pagoda of Spu rises, painted with brilliant colors, in the middle of a picturesque site. The rectangular mound on which it is built is formed of two stories of terraces and … Read more
Located atop a large rise in central Krong Stung Treng, Phnom Theat Temple features the remnants of a 7th-century temple. According to historical notes, the site was a small brick temple enclosed by double outer walls featuring monumental gopura (gates). At the site today are several fascinating remnants including a mostly intact sandstone drain with … Read more
Located inside the school grounds, Prasat Preah Srok, also noted as Yeay Chhab Temple, sits on an earthen rise and only the base of the brick temple along with a sandstone doorframe can be seen. Scattered around the site are numerous sandstone [pieces.
Also known as Wat Nokor, the ancient site features a double enclosure, a naga balustrade on the eastern entrance, a galleried enclosure containing a further galleried enclosure that contains the cruciform-shaped central temple, and two libraries. It features an immense amount of artwork, some quite unique in the context of its. Perhaps its most unique … Read more
Phimai Temple (now in present-day Thailand) was an important outpost at the time of the Khmer Empire. The temple Prasat Hin Phimai, located in the center of the town, was one of the major Khmer temples connected with Angkor by ancient Royal Roads and the last temple on the Angkor-Phimai Royal Road. The site is … Read more
Also known as Prasat Phnom Sandok. It is a remote site but quite an incredible site, not only for its incredible location and its size but also for being one of the most important sites in the ancient Khmer empire due to its fascinating inscriptions. Whilst it’s not the easiest site to reach presently (01/23), … Read more
Located on the side of the Dangrek Mountain range, Prasat Neak Buos is a fascinating and massive ancient temple complex featuring a diverse group of structures in brick, sandstone, and laterite. The fascinating site dates back to the late 7th century with additions continuing through the 9th, 10th, 11th, and the last construction, a hospital … Read more
Located on the slopes of Phnom Da the sanctuary is built on a narrow rock platform with its rear facade almost against the hill. Asram Maha Rosei is made up of a central cella, 2 meters per side, surrounded on all four sides by a corridor 70 cm wide on average, which is lit by … Read more
Also recorded as Prasat Thnoeng, Prasat Theng, and Prasat Balang Cheung. It is a large square sandstone temple housing a large linga atop a pedestal with a spout exiting the northern side of the temple. The square shrine, monolithic in scale, shares its layout and likely its purpose with 3 more that are aligned on … Read more
Prasat Sralau, also recorded as Prasat Andong Kuk/Trapeang Andon Kuk, is mostly ruinous with the remains of a laterite temple and library building, surrounded by an outer enclosure and entrance pavilion. Whilst the sites of Koh Ker are largely attributed to the 10th century and the reign of Jayavarman IV, researchers believe the site was … Read more
Located on the northwest side of the Koh Ker group of temples, Prasat Dang Tong, or Don Ton North (in some records, Prasat Reamker), is the remains of a brick temple, that according to an onsite report, was an elongated building with a corbelled roof possibly built prior to Jayavarman IV’s relocation of the capital … Read more
Also known as Prasat Beng. Koh Ker features rich diversity in its architectural styles and this is another unusual site. The central feature or shrine was a raised sandstone terrace with steps on its east and west sides, and featuring two pedestals. This terrace was preceded by an entrance gopura constructed of laterite with sandstone … Read more
Prasat Krachap of Koh Ker was originally a group of five square brick temples built on a common terrace. The site features some beautiful lintels with grand entrance frontons, and a series of inscriptions on pillars at the site, while most of the central brick temples are in ruin they originally formed a quincunx. The … Read more
Prasat Khtum is a square laterite temple atop a sandstone base with remains of a terrace. It opens only to the east with a sandstone doorframe flanked by decorative columns and topped by a very decayed lintel that depicted Indra on Airvata. Just several meters to the north is the much larger Prasat Damrei.
Remains of a brick temple
Located on the northern side of the Koh Ker group of temples, Prasat Dang Tung (or Don Ton South) features the remains of a rectangular laterite building that houses a beautifully decorated pedestal. This laterite building opened to the east and also featured decorated octagonal door columns. Remnants of other structures can be seen, looks … Read more
Also recorded as Prasat Balang. A square sandstone temple with a large pedestal and massive linga. The square shrine shares its layout, and likely also its purpose, with 3 more together aligned on a north-south axis whilst having a relationship with the east-west axis of Prasat Thom. None of these gigantic linga shrines have roofs, … Read more
Prasat Bak is a small laterite temple with a sandstone doorway, mostly collapsed. Originally it featured an ornate pedestal that supported a large statue of Ganesha. Update 2023: Recently, and quite fabulously, the Ganesha statue was returned to Cambodia along with numerous other relics. Historical Photos Photos property of EFEO, taken in 1965 Historical Notes … Read more
It is a large square sandstone temple, 11m per side atop a decorated sandstone base, that houses a massive pedestal and linga. It is fronted also by a large laterite and sandstone terrace/pavilion. On the northern side of the shrine, you can see a water spout that would have emitted the sacred water after it … Read more
An ancient moated city, now the capital of Phnom Srok district. The outer moat surrounding the city is a little more than 1 km wide and just under 1km tall now enclosing contemporary Khmer life inc. residences, businesses, and schools etc.. There are few ancient remains to be seen bar the Preah Srok site, the … Read more
Prasat Andet, also recorded as Prasat Andaet, is an ancient 7th-century brick temple located on the grounds of a contemporary monastery and pagoda atop a large and high mound which is then surrounded by a moat. Several statues from here including a Harihara statue can be found at the Phnom Penh National Museum. This uniquely … Read more
Bakheng Temple sits atop the 65m rise that carries the same name, Phnom Bakheng and looks across the plains below with Angkor Thom to its north and Angkor Wat to its southeast, both of which it predates by more than two centuries. It’s a monumental construction that followed the beliefs of the time and the … Read more