Bakheng Temple sits atop the 65m rise that carries the same name, Phnom Bakheng and looks across the plains below with Angkor Thom to its north and Angkor Wat to its southeast, both of which it predates by more than two centuries. It’s a monumental construction that followed the beliefs of the time and the … Read more
Phnom Krom, or Phnom Kraom, is a 140 m high mountain located about 13 km south of Siem Reap city near the massive lake, Tonle Sap. Atop the mountain is the ancient 9th-century temple, Prasat Phnom Krom (Khmer: ប្រាសាទភ្នំក្រោម). It is also a popular and superb destination to watch the sunset over the beautiful and … Read more
Prasat Bei (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបី, “three temples”) is located by the moat on the left before entering the South Gate of Angkor Thom. It is a temple with three brick towers in a north-south row, facing to the east, and standing on a laterite platform. The central tower contained a linga; the flanking towers reach no … Read more
One of the four prasats that sit at each corner of Angkor Thom’s outer wall. Located on the northeast corner, this one is a small but ornate sandstone temple featuring a small sandstone building (stele shelter) to the east which housed a stele with an inscription (registered as K.547). The inscription on the stele features … Read more
One of the four prasats that sit at each corner of Angkor Thoms outer wall, this one is located on the northwest corner. You can walk to the site along the top of Angkor Thoms outer wall starting from either Angkor Thom’s north or west gate. The trail is suitable for walking and on foot … Read more
One of the four prasats that sit at each corner of Angkor Thom’s outer wall. This one is located on the southeast corner. You can reach the site by a 20 min walk along the top of the wall from the south gate of Angkor Thom. It is also a place where you can watch … Read more
One of the four prasats that sit at each corner of Angkor Thoms outer wall. This one is located on the southwest corner. This is the perhaps most beautiful of all of the “prasat chrungs” and can be a popular spot mostly only known to locals. It offers beautiful views over the moat and a … Read more
Located directly east of the rear courtyard of North Khleang, this small walled area features three structures, the main one being a small shrine with stairs at each side while only the western side has an open entry. On either side are small “library” buildings. An outer wall surrounds them with an entry gopura on … Read more
Also recorded as Athvea, or Prasat Wat Athvear, it is a 12th-century ancient temple with an active Buddhist pagoda and monastery adjacent to the walled ancient structure. Originally a Hindu temple, the ancient temple’s design, and the distinctive style of its devata/Apsara (sacred female images), indicate that it was originally built during the reign of … Read more
Pre Rup (Khmer: ប្រាសាទប្រែរូប) is a grand brick temple with a quincunx of towers rising from a pyramid base to form the “temple mountain”, an architectural concept of the ancient Khmer to represent the sacred Mount Meru in Hindu beliefs. Located around 5km to the northeast of Angkor Wat, which it predates, it was built … Read more
To the west of Bayon, located at the functioning monastery of Preah Ang Kok Thlok is ‘Terrace S’ or the remnants thereof which now has a contemporary construction atop the ancient site. The site we see today carries on the traditional use of the ancient site, a vihara or prah vihar, that were noted as … Read more
Located just south of the Bayon Temple inside Angkor Thom, Preah En Tep was an ancient Buddhist Terrace that has been restored in recent times. As it is with other terraces of the type, it faces east and features a grand pedestal, or balang, at its western end. In this case, it supports a monumental … Read more
Also spelled Enkosey Temple (Khmer: ប្រាសាទព្រះឥន្ទ្រកោសិយ), or Preah Enkosai Temple, was built (or at least restored) in the 10th century under the reign of king Rajendravarman II (r. 944-968). It is a small temple site that is hidden away behind a functioning pagoda of the same name. It comprises two brick sanctuaries, the remains of … Read more
[Updated 2024] – Originally recorded as Nagara Jayasri (holy city of victory), Preah Khan is a large and grand ancient temple at Angkor Archeological Park, Siem Reap. It was built in the 12th century under the reign of King Jayavarman VII (reign 1181-1218 AD) to honour his father, who built the nearby Ta Prohm to … Read more
Located immediately west of the Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom, it’s a recently reconstructed ancient Buddhist terrace, demarcated by double sema while also featuring the remains of laterite chedi/reliquary on its western side. It remains a sacred site for locals who come to pray here. The remains of the laterite structure at the western end … Read more
Located just north of Bayon and featuring a monumental Buddha statue, it’s one of the many Buddhist terraces attributed to the post-Angkor period created using recycled masonry from prior ancient sites. It is a simple but large terrace, formed by a platform of laterite blocks recorded as 90 meters by 24 meters that rises around … Read more
The museum is a joint establishment between Apsara Authority and Sophia University with funding from AEON (Japan) in order to exhibit and preserve the artifacts discovered at Banteay Kdei Temple. Its collection has since expanded to include the exhibition of interesting artifacts from several other sites in the Siem Reap area. The museum is well … Read more
Preah Palilay (Khmer: ប្រាសាទព្រះបាលិលេយ្យ) is a small but fascinating ancient temple located in Angkor Thom, only a short walk to the north-west of Terrace of Leper King and Tep Pranam. The site’s contemporary name, Preah Palilay, has the meaning Sacred Forest of Palilay whilst the original site name is unknown. At its eastern entrance it … Read more
Kor Sak Temple, or Preah Pithu T, is located in Angkor Thom and is one of the five temples that make up what is known as Preah Pithu Group which are located to the northeast of the ancient Royal Palace. The ancient temple was originally dedicated to Vishnu, opening to the west with a large … Read more
Preah Pithu U, or Chorm Temple, is a small sandstone temple, surrounded by a wall and sharing an “island” created by an outer moat with Preah Pithu T (Kor Sak Temple). The outer wall, with entrances at each cardinal point, leads to the small cruciform shaped temple that rises up on a stepped base. Featuring … Read more
Preah Pithu V, or Duan Mea Temple, is an early 12th Century Hindu temple located in Angkor Thom. It is part of what is known as the Preah Pithu Group which references five temples that are clustered together, although, not necessarily constructed at the same time. The site does not feature a foundation inscription and … Read more
Differing from others in the Preah Pithu group, Ta Tuot is a Buddhist Temple converted from an earlier Hindu temple sometime around the 14th century. It is a sandstone temple atop a large and tall platform atop of which is a stepped pyramid-style base with four stairways leading to the central shrine also with entrances … Read more
Preah Pithu Y, or Kandork Yeak Temple, is a 12th-century sandstone temple located in Angkor Thom. It was originally dedicated to Vishnu. It is one of the five temples in the Preah Pithu Group and differs greatly from the other four in many ways. Similar though is the fact that it sits atop a large … Read more
A Buddhist Terrace with two tiers, the top tier reconstructed, featuring multiple bas-relief panels of garuda. Sixteen sema stones were found here, noted as being decorated with a bas-relief depicting a seated figure of Yama wearing a headdress with three points and holding a sword in his right hand. An inscription was also registered from … Read more
Located east of the Royal Palace in Angkor Thom, just off the road that leads to Victory gate, it is the best preserved of Angkor Thom’s Buddhist Terraces. As a brief intro, and there is more here including links to new research, there are over 70 of these terraces and structures within the Angkor Thom … Read more
An uncleared site with a mound measuring around 35 x 35 m surrounded by a moat (dry) with a causeway at each cardinal point. The mound is currently (05/2021) occupied mostly by a large fallen tree without any structure seen remaining. Broken brick and sandstone can be seen along with a small piece of a … Read more
An uncleared and overgrown site (05/2021) that is around 20 m x 20 m and surrounded by a moat (dry). Partial excavations at some time in the past have revealed the small laterite base structure and several sandstone pieces including a decayed pedestal and decayed yoni with spout along with brick rubble. Gallery
An uncleared site with scant remains of what was a small brick temple built on a foundation laterite (via Cisark). Two large pedestals can still be seen at the site, other sandstone remains, along with laterite blocks, and a red sandstone block. Gallery
Prasat Prei is located on a small rise featuring what would have been a small compound with a wall surrounding a single sanctuary and ‘library’. At the site today you can still see a standing remnant of the entry gopura (gate), wall, and the library and main temple are still standing. The main temple albeit … Read more
Prasat Reach Chuntal is located in the central area of Siem Reap city, in the commune (now Sangkat) of Kok Chak. Surrounded by homes, it features large square laterite blocks, perhaps forming the basement of the temple that was seemingly largely built in brick according to the rubble seen at the site. There are traces … Read more