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.
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
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
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
Located in Preah Vihear province, about 15km west of Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, Prasat Supheap Cheung is recorded as a “Firehouse”, labelled as Dharmacala by early French research and later Vahnigriha according to the inscription. They were shrines added to the ancient Royal Road network around the 12-13th century during the time of Jayavarman VII, … 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 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. Update: since 2022, the trail goes around the bridge now. Traffic is almost exclusively local farmers on small Kubota tractors. Historical … 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