Temples and structures along the ancient Royal Road leading from Beng Mealea to Koh Ker and Wat Phu (present-day Laos)
Located in the large Srayang Commune of Preah Vihear Province, Koh Ker Archaeological Site is an ancient capital city dating to the 10th century featuring over 50 recorded temples and over 100 archeological sites along with being home to Cambodia’s famed pyramid temple, Prasat Prang. Known in old Khmer inscriptions as Chok Gargyar and Lingapura … Read more
Located at the corner of the ancient basin and road leading up to Neak Buos Temple, Prasat Kuk (south) is the remains of a laterite temple, with “library” building enclosed by a laterite wall with an entrance pavilion on the eastern side. The central temple has mostly collapsed but originally opened to the east with … Read more
Located at the northeast corner of the ancient basin and just south of the larger Neak Buos Temple, Prasat Kuk Srei is a ruinous but fascinating site of a distinct and unusual format. This unusual format consists of a U-shaped building fronted by a long peristyle construction that researchers note as a building of the … Read more
Located 3km to the southeast of Purrieng village, and just north of the ancient road that led from Beng Mealea to Wat Phu, Prasat Mak Ma is reminiscent of Temple d’Etapes that are seen along the same ancient road from Angkor to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay. In this case, the single shrine is built … 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
One of the iconic temples of the ancient Khmer Empire, Prasat Prang is a giant seven-level stepped pyramid temple attributed to the reign of King Jayavarman IV and the 10th century. It is the highlight of the Koh Ker group of temples that was, for a brief period, the ancient capital of the empire before … Read more
Located north of the Koh Ker temple group and just north of the ancient road that once led from Beng Mealea to Koh Ker, Prasat Ta Maen, also known as Prasat Ta Men, is quite similar in many ways to the sites known as “Temple d’Etape” so labeled by the French researchers in the 1900s. … Read more
Vat Phou (or Wat Phu; Lao: ວັດພູ [wāt pʰúː] temple-mountain) is a ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex in southern Laos. It is at the base of mount Phou Khao, some 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the Mekong in Champasak Province. There was a temple on the site as early as the 5th century, but the … Read more