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Prasat Preah Vihear
Prasat Preah Vihear is a Khmer Angkor era temple situated atop a 525-meter cliff in the Dangrek Mountains in Cambodia just across the border from Thailand. The view from here is as dramatic as it sounds, with the panoramic scene stretching for miles and miles. Affording a view for many kilometers across a plain, it has the most spectacular setting of all the temples built during the six-century-long Khmer Empire. As a key edifice of the empire's spiritual life, it was supported and modified by successive kings and so bears elements of several architectural styles. Preah Vihear is unusual among Khmer temples in being constructed along a long north-south axis, rather than having the conventional rectangular plan with orientation toward the east. The temple gives its name to Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, in which is located.
The journey to the Temple from the Cambodian side is more of an adventure though and very much a highlight of the trip. It may be a hard and arduous journey, though the route is becoming easier with more roads getting sealed each year, but the smile on your face when you first see Prasat Preah Vihear makes it all worth it.
The history of Prasat Preah Vihear
The Temple of Prasat Preah Vihear was built over a period of time stretching through the reign of seven Khmer Monarchs. The Temple was started during the reign of Yasovarman I, who was in power from 889-910AD and was finished during the years of Suryavarman II (who built the great temples of Angkor) 1112-1152AD.
Prasat Preah Vihear translates into English as 'Sacred Monastery' and was a major pilgrimage site during the Angkor years. The Temple was dedicated to Shiva, a Hindu deity and worshippers from all over the Khmer World (and some from further away) came to ask for Shiva's blessing.
Plan of the Temple
Construction of the first temple on the site began in the early 9th century; both then and in the following centuries it was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in his manifestations as the mountain gods Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. The earliest surviving parts of the temple, however, date from the Koh Ker period in the early 10th century, when the empire's capital was at the city of that name. Today, elements of the Banteay Srei style of the late 10th century can be seen, but most of the temple was constructed during the reigns of the kings Suryavarman I (1002–1050) and Suryavarman II (1113–1150). An inscription found at the temple provides a detailed account of Suryavarman II studying sacred rituals, celebrating religious festivals and making gifts, including white parasols, golden bowls and elephants, to his spiritual advisor, the aged Brahman Divakarapandita. The Brahman himself took an interest in the temple, according to the inscription, gifting it with a golden statue of a dancing Shiva.
The Temple
The temple complex runs 800m along a north-south axis, and consists essentially of a causeway and steps rising up the hill towards the sanctuary, which sits on the cliff top at the southern end of the complex (120m above the northern end of the complex, 525m above the Cambodian plain and 625m above sea level). Although this structure is very different from the Temple Mountains found at Angkor, it serves the same purpose as a stylised representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods.
The approach to the sanctuary is punctuated by five gopuras (these are conventionally numbered from the sanctuary outwards, so gopura five is the first to be reached by visitors). Each of the gopuras before the courtyards is reached by a set of steps, and so marks a change in height which increases their impact. The gopuras also block a visitor's view of the next part of the temple until he passes through the gateway, making it impossible to see the complex as a whole from any one point.
The fifth gopura, in the Koh Ker style, retains traces of the red paint with which it was once decorated, although the tiled roof has now disappeared. The fourth gopura is later, from the Khleang/Baphuon periods, and has on its southern outer pediment, "one of the masterpieces of Preah Vihear" (Freeman, p. 162): a depiction of the Churning of the Sea of Milk. The third is the largest, and is also flanked by two halls. The sanctuary is reached via two successive courtyards, in the outer of which are two libraries. To the left of the Sanctuary is Pei Ta Da Cliff, which allows those wonderful views over the Cambodian lowlands.
Visiting Prasat Preah Vihear
There are two possible ways of visiting Prasat Preah Vihear; the first is from the Cambodia side and second from Thailand side of the border. The Cambodia side is more of an adventure, coming across the Cambodian lowlands to the Temple from Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.
There is a new 'packed laterite access road' from Siem Reap to Prasat Preah Vihear which goes via Anlong Veng. This is around 210 kilometers and the quicker of the two routes. It would be best to hire a 4 wheel drive with driver as the road is bit adventurous.
The second route is from Siem Reap to Prasat Preah Vihear, going via Koh Ker and on through the Kulen Prum Tep Wildlife Sanctuary. This is also an adventurous route.
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