Temples
Phnom Punnareay Temple
Located atop a small mountain Prasat Phnom Punnareay features two small and very decayed brick temples. Oddly, they open to the south with remains of sandstone doorframes and false doors around the other sides. They don’t feature any decorative carvings although the brickwork is elaborate, emphasizing the eaves, base, and false doors. On the north … Read more
Ta Krabei Temple
Also known as Prasat Ta Krabey/Ta Kwai/Ta Khwai and also Preah Tveang, it is a massively tall cruciform-shaped temple located in Cambodia on the border with Thailand. Constructed in sandstone it has an entrance on each side and housed a naturally formed linga. It is believed to have been constructed between the 11-12th century but … Read more
Firehouse of Banteay Chhmar Temple
Located inside the enclosure of Banteay Chhmar Temple are the remains of a “firehouse“, a structure that was typically placed along the ancient Khmer road network as a temple that coincided with a rest area for pilgrims and travellers. It is located on the east side of the temple proper. Its state of decay is … Read more
Terrace (Banteay Chhmar)
Fronting the western side of the large baray is a grand terrace that has recently been restored. Topped by lions flanking the entrances, the lower registers meeting the water of the baray feature beautiful carvings of Hamsa and lotus flowers.
Prasat Ta Phai
Also recorded/signposted as Prasat Chem Trey. Remains of a sandstone cruciform temple with an outer laterite wall, an entrance pavilion on the east, a large moat with what may have been another outer wall. The temple itself is only standing on two sides still featuring the massive carvings of smiling faces on its superstructure.
Chan Temple
Ruinous remains of two odd rectangular sandstone temples. One could it assume it to be from the 11-12th century, and related to Prasat Ta Muen Thom, perhaps as a “palais” as French would record them, more on those here. One might also assume it to be an ashrama of the Suryavarman I era (1006 to … Read more
Wat
Monastery housing remains from an ancient site in a shelter including a very beautiful late-era sema stone, several pedestals, a bollard, and sandstone plinth.
Wat Svay Check
The monastery features several remnants from an ancient site including a rare round pedestal (assuming it’s ancient), two square pedestals, what may be a crown piece of the ancient temple, and a small and very decayed Buddha statue.
Wat Mony
Contemporary monastery that’s not recorded as once being an ancient temple site, although out of an array of generic sema stones surrounding the pagoda, one appears to be a little special. A small shelter on the northern side houses a piece of stone that may or may not be from an ancient site.
Bakan Temple (Pursat Province)
Contemporary monastery built upon an ancient site known as Prasat Bakan where the laterite blocks form a large rectangular base atop which is a pyramidic arrangement of blocks. Who did what and when is a little hard to know. Certainly, in recent times, a prayer hall has been added atop the base and more recently, … Read more
Wat Preah Theat (Pursat)
Contemporary monastery located on an ancient temple site retaining several sandstone remnants. (more to come soon) More pieces of the puzzle, including more “column” pieces, a frieze, a sandstone pedestal, and a sandstone lion.
Wat Kampong Preah
The contemporary monastery grounds of Wat Kampong Preah feature three brick temples, one in amazing condition, one a little less so, and another excavation pit revealing the base of a third structure. All three are on an east-west axis and open to the north. Unsurprisingly, the focus of attention is the larger standing temple and … Read more
Wat Romlok (Takeo)
Contemporary monastery and pagoda and provenance of an inscribed stele registered under K. 27 which is stored at the nearby Angkor Borei Museum. The contemporary pagoda we see today retains fragments of its important post and pre-Angkorian era heritage with sandstone pedestals implanted and used to demarcate the pagoda itself. Historical Images The images below … Read more
Wat Prei Phkoam
Also recorded as Sambour Sakor Pagoda, a contemporary monastery and pagoda where two inscriptions, K. 28 and K. 1032 were discovered.
Wat Phnom Khlaeng
Contemporary monastery located on an ancient temple site atop a small hill
Wat Kampong Luong (Angkor Borei)
Contemporary monastery and pagoda located on the river bank of Angkor Borei. A seated Buddha statue was removed from the pagoda here and now resides in the Phnom Penh National Museum. According to Nancy Dowling’s study, the statue likely dates to 660-665 AD. The statue was lacquered which, researchers discovered had taken place in four … Read more