Map and listing of ancient sites along the Beng Mealea-Preah Khan of Kampong Svay section of the ancient Khmer road network, including bridges, temples, and “firehouses”. Also, see our tour journal Ancient Way: Beng Mealea to Preah Khan for this stretch of the ancient road.
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
Located around 5km to the northwest of Khvav village near the southern border of Siem Reap Province, on the southern step of Phnom Khtum. It features a tall laterite wall that is mostly still standing. On Google Maps, it has been added as “Lobaek Temple”. The site doesn’t appear in historical French inventories nor on … Read more
Located along the ancient Royal Road that leads from Beng Mealea to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, Phnom Bantheay (as Google labels it) is located atop one of the hills that flank this ancient road on the Khvav-Preah Khan section. The site features an outer laterite wall with bell capping, opening to the east with … Read more
Located north of the ancient East Road and east of Spean Ta Ong, the remains of Prasat Phnom Dob sits atop a small mountain. It features the base of what may be two or three brick shrines that are enclosed by a laterite wall that may have dated to the 10th-11th century. The site is … Read more
Another feature along the ancient royal road, Prasat Pram, was what the early French archeologists called “Temples d’étape” in simple terms, what they believed to be a temple that was part of a staging or stopping place. Other temples of this type include Prasat Toap Chey Thom, Prasat Chrei, and others, which are only found … Read more
Ancient laterite bridge with remnants of the sandstone naga balustrade still seen. The local trail diverts south around the bridge currently (late 2021). It uses post and lintel construction and is in very good condition. Oddly, there are large laterite blocks scattered about 15 m to the southwest.
Located around 8km east of Beng Mealea temple, it’s a small laterite bridge on the ancient East Road that joined Angkor, Beng Mealea, and Preah Khan of Kampong Svay. It’s only around 5m in length and a typical 7-8m in width. It used a post and lintel style construction, and remnants of a sandstone balustrade … Read more
Located along the ancient East Royal Road that joined Angkor to Beng Mealea and Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, it’s a medium-sized laterite bridge, still in use, with 8 arches and recorded as measuring 35 meters long and 7 meters wide. Like most of the ancient bridges on this section of the ancient road, it … Read more
A small laterite bridge that is in amazing condition, recorded as measuring 26 m long and 7 m wide and 3.2 m high. The balustrades are broken but the bridge itself has fine structure and arches.
A small ancient laterite bridge that is no longer in use with the present-day road diverting slightly to the south. Note the beautiful arches. Recorded as being 10 m long and 5.5 m wide and 2.6 m high.
A small ancient laterite bridge that is still in use (local trails). Remnants of the sandstone naga balustrade can still be seen and notably, it features post and lintel construction rather than corbelled arches.
Ancient laterite bridge recorded (via Cisark) as being 8 meters long and 7 meters wide. 01/23, recently passing by the bridge again, it seems authorities are clearing the site and excavating pieces.
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
A small laterite bridge that’s still in use with five arches, recorded as measuring 20 m long and 3 m high. It originally featured a naga balustrade but only scattered pieces of the balustrade can still be seen. As of 2021, several arches have mostly collapsed, some have partially collapsed internally. I believe years ago … Read more
A small laterite bridge with 4 arches with sandstone balustrade. It is recorded as measuring 12 m long, 8 m wide and 2.8 m high. Interestingly, it features very basic arches (post and lintel style construction) and is not typical of the beautiful corbelled arches seen on nearly all of the bridges along this route. … Read more
A very small ancient laterite bridge that is still in use today. No remnants of balustrade seen.
Laterite bridge with 8 arches and balustrade with naga (not seen), recorded as measuring 30 meters long and 2.8 meters high. As of 2021, the bridge is still in daily use and heavily overgrown on either side, growth which will probably die off during the drier moths. Parts of the balustrade can be seen sitting … Read more
Located in Preah Vihear province, about 15km west of Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, Prasat Supheap Cheung, is recorded as a “Firehouse” or Dharmasala, which were features added to the ancient Royal Road network around the 12-13th century. This particular one is along the ancient route that joined Beng Mealea to Preah Khan of Kampong … Read more
Located in Preah Vihear province along the ancient route from Beng Mealea to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay (PKKS), Prasat Supheap Tbong is a unique temple type that was only found along the Angkor-PKKS section of the ancient Royal Road network. Early French researchers would label these sites “Temple d’etape” with the belief that they … Read more
Prasat Ta En is a very ruinous “firehouse“, which was a common feature along the east and northwest roads of the ancient royal road network. It is believed that they were part of a larger resting place for travellers and pilgrims. It sits 60-100m north of where the ancient East Road once connected Beng Mealea to … 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
Also known as Prasat Toab Chey Thom, Teap Chei, and Torp Chey Thom. It is a ruinous walled sandstone temple that was a common feature along the ancient royal road network along the section from Angkor to Preah Khan (of Kampong Svay). French archeologists recorded this temple type as “Temples d’étape” or staging place. They … 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
Located west of the Preah Khan of Kampong Svay complex and also recorded as Chambork Temple and Prasat Chambok, it’s an ancient temple that French researchers from the 1900s would label “Temple D’etape” which was akin to a stopping place along the ancient road that, in this case, led west to Beng Mealea. Whilst no … Read more
Located around 15km east of Beng Mealea temple and 170m or so north of the present-day road, which is also the ancient East Road that joined Angkor Beng Mealea and Preah Khan of Kampong Svay. The site may date to around the late 10th or 11th century. At the time of visiting, early 2025, the site is … Read more
Also recorded as Chass Pagoda, it’s a contemporary monastery and pagoda featuring remnants of an ancient temple. Remnants include a large collection of laterite, some shaped, gathered by a tree. Also, ancient or contemporary, what appears to be a laterite causeway leading east from the contemporary vihara and an overgrown mound of pieces. In a … Read more
Located just north of Spean Khmeng on the ancient East Road that joined Angkor to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay. Wat Kambao Or is a contemporary Buddhist pagoda featuring several ancient road markers. The ancient road markers seen here are similar to those seen near Spean Praptos on the Southeast Road and others at Wat … Read more
Contemporary monastery that was founded in recent times. The site retains several sandstone fragments from an ancient temple. There is some folklore surrounding the site and its remnants. One night, while studying the Dhama, a monk saw a white light in front of the throne. He told the abbot, who did not believe, but for … Read more
