Also recorded as Thnot Chum, West Tnaot Choum Temple, and just Prasat Tnaot Chum. It is a large tall square brick temple that opens to the east with a sandstone doorframe and false doors set in the brickwork on its other sides. The ancient temple is in surprisingly good condition, rising up with four false … 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
Phnom Santuk is a large area featuring a monastery with old and new pagodas and a large array of Buddhist carvings depicting the Buddha in the many ritual positions. It has a heritage in the 15th century and perhaps earlier, as a sacred mountain which it remains to this day. The bas-reliefs are numerous and … Read more
Also recorded as Prasat Phoum and Prasat Pagoda (on Google Maps), it is a tall rectangular brick temple of the 8th century located on the grounds of a contemporary monastery. The ancient temple was restored in 2007 and still preserves much of the beautiful artwork of that time which is attributed to “Kampong Preah style” … Read more
Prasat Yeay Poan or Yeai Poeun, also recorded as S Group, is an enclosed complex of temples and one of the three main temple groups alongside Prasat Tao (C Group) and Prasat Sambor (N Group) at Sambor Prei Kuk. Inscriptions reveal that the temple group was built during the reign of King Isanavarman I (616-637 … Read more
Located east of the main temple cluster of Sambor Prei Kuk, it’s also recorded as Prasat Russey Roliek. It’s a large rectangular brick temple opening to the east featuring an antechamber preceding the central chamber, only a handful of sites in Sambor Prei Kuk feature such. It also features stunning reliefs on its sidewalls depicting … Read more
Also recorded as Brasat Mohr Pagoda, a contemporary monastery featuring the remains of a gopura and causeway on the east side of its pagoda, with the pagoda itself built upon a base of laterite likely belonging to the ancient site. Inside the pagoda, monks care for a range of ancient decorated bollards. Remnants of an … Read more
Also known as Wat Indry Samvorak or Entri Sam Voreak Pagoda, it houses a collection of remains from an ancient site/s. The monastery is quite large and well established, apparently dating to the 17th century by some reports. On the monastery grounds, a special area has been created to present some of the ancient remains, … Read more
Also known as Pheas Temple, it features the remains of three sandstone temples located on the present-day monastery site, Wat Pheas. The temples were built upon a rise provided by a common terrace aligned north-south with the three temples opening to the east. Of the three only two walls of the central tower are partially … Read more
Also recorded as Prasat Roluos. Remains of a brick temple that featured a library, outer wall, and moat. It featured an inscription recorded under K 219 that came from a doorframe noted by Georges Coedes to contain 26 lines of Khmer text and being the only recording at that time of King Udayadityavarman II. Dated … Read more
Also recorded as Slor Kram Temple following the name of the village and commune. The site features the remains of a brick temple with an outer wall and moat and a basin in the east.
Remains of a brick temple group set on a large mound that is surrounded by an active moat. A shelter sits atop the site featuring the original sandstone doorframe with sandstone remnants scattered around the site, along with a large pedestal. At the west of the site, a pagoda has been built, with elephants looking … Read more
The partially standing remains of a single brick temple. Whilst not much is left, it’s still intriguing. Only the front eastern wall and part of the north and south wall remain. It would have likely had a forebody extending its eastern entrance with some remnants seen. The forebody would have had a raised floor or … Read more
Located northeast of Battambang city and sometimes referred to as Prasat Baset/Basaet, Baset Temple, or Prasat Barsaet, it’s the ruins of a large and grandiose ancient temple complex estimated around 400 m x 150 m centering on a large central temple surrounded by six small temples with two libraries. It’s believed to date to the … Read more
Phnom Sampov, or Phnom Sampeau, is one of the popular attractions in Battambang renowned for nightly nature show as hoards of bats exit the mountains cave at dusk every night. You can enjoy the bat show, and also go up and explore the mountain itself. At the base of the mountain is a contemporary pagoda, … Read more
Also referred to as Prasat Snoeng Khang Lech, it is the remains of a sandstone temple. The site is located right by the roadway and fronting the monastery features a doorway opening to the east with a short forebody repeated around the other 3 sides with false doors. What makes it worth traveling to the … Read more
Located on the north side of a small mountain bearing the same name Phnom Khyong or Khyang Mountain, you can find a staircase leading up to a cave that houses a very ancient brick temple. A metal staircase leads down into a large cavernous area and straight ahead, take the small steel ladder to the … Read more
Located around 12 km from Kampot, 25 km from Kep, and 140 km from Phnom Penh, Phnom Chhngok is a small mountain featuring a Buddhist temple on one side and on its western side a cave featuring an ancient temple dating to the 5th century Funan Era. From the site entrance on the western side … Read more
Located around 40 km north of Phnom Penh in Kandal Province, Oudong became the capital of Cambodia after it shifted from nearby Longvek in 1618 and was the seat of power for over two centuries until around 1863 when it shifted to what is now Phnom Penh. The ancient capital once radiated out around the … Read more
The monastery of Wat Hanchey overlooks the Mekong River from its hilltop location featuring ancient sites that date back to the 7th and 8th centuries during the Chenla Era. The monastery is area is large, featuring several sculptures, pagoda, halls, a recreation of an Angkorian era temple, seating with views over the massive Mekong river … Read more
Also recorded as Preah Theat Tuk Chha Temple, it is a large sprawling area with the remains of an ancient temple complex that centers on a partially standing brick temple surrounded by the remnants of satellite structures, an outer wall, and further satellite structures. The entire site is constructed on an east-northeast angle, with large … Read more
Located on monastery grounds are the remains of the central temple of what was originally a group of three brick temples with an outer laterite enclosure wall and entrance on the east. The remaining brick temple has been given an elaborate sheltering structure in recent times which is interesting in itself, enshrining the shrine. Around … Read more
Also recorded as Phnom Trap A. Located on the side of a hill with a laterite-lined basin further to the east. The remains include a standing sandstone doorframe, pedestals, door columns, a decayed lintel, and the base of a small statue. The rectangular pedestal (if that’s what it is) is interesting and odd. Originally it … Read more
Within the walls of Banteay Prei Nokor, 250 m to the southeast of Preah Theat Thom, are the partially standing remains of what was originally a group of three brick temples that opened to the north. Only one brick tower remains and is believed to date to the time of King Bhavavarman I in the … Read more
Also recorded as Phnom Trap D, Wat Praes Meas Temple (Khmer: ប្រាសាទវត្តប្រើសមាស). Originally a group of four brick temples, three of which are still standing, located on the hilltop of Pheah Ank Brampi Mountain (Khmer: ភ្នំព្រះអង្គរភ្នំប្រាំពីរ). The three remaining brick temples each feature impressive bas-relief carvings in the rear walls, sandstone doorframes flanked by ornate … Read more
An ancient citadel consisting of a large square enclosure, 2.5 km x 2.5 km, surrounded by a moat and berm. It dates back to the 7/8th century while also being a quite important location in the 16th century. Once you cross the moat, head to the monastery, Wat Prei Angkor Knoung Sdech Kan, and you’ll … Read more
A tall brick temple with remains of an outer laterite wall and moat. Interestingly, the name locals use for the site today is the same as the ancient name of the site as recorded by an inscription which there is more on further below. The site is surrounded by a moat with an entrance on … 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 atop a small hill surrounded by the farmland plains, this curious ancient site also features a monastery a new pagoda underway and some sculptures already in place. The central brick temple that remains only partly standing a couple of meters high has the remains of a laterite forebody, all of which is surrounded by … 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