Visiting Preah Vihear, the majestic temple above cloud
Although there are many mountain temples in Cambodia to dedicate to Shiva god, Preah Vihear temple is the exception. It is the only one that is situated on top of the mountain, at 525 metre cliffs (some document said 700m height) on the Dongrek Mountains, in Preah Vihear province (Google Map), on the border with Cambodia and Thailand. It is about 2hours from Siem Reap province. Video of the temple produced by my org is here.
The exceptional quality of the temple is the architecture that can adapt to the natural environment (stands strong under strong wind, ongoing rain & strong heat over 1,000 years) and more importantly, it is adapted to the religious functions that it represents Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods.
History of Construction
The temple was under ongoing constructions for about 300 years. There were 6 kings who started and finished the temple. The temple was built to dedicate to the God Shiva in his manifestations as the mountain gods Sikharesvara and Bharesvara.
- (1) King Yasovarman I (889-910AD) began work on the original in the 9th century (spiritual development) who built the foundations and the eastern stairs.
- In the 10th century, (2) King Suryavarman I (1002-1050) and his son (3) King Udayadityavarman II (1050-1068) almost completed all big work around the temple including many of the larger carved stones found in the temple. The temple has four levels (Gopuras 1, 2, 3 and 4) with four courtyards, each containing five Gopuras (entrance pavilions). Preah Vihear has been a place of pilgrimage and sacred worship for kings and commoners alike.
- In the 12th century, 3 kings completed the final work based on the original by remodeling the temple. The late king increased the size of original small sanctuary into one of the greatest Khmer temples of all times. The last 3 kings were (4) King Jayavarman VI (1080-1107), (5) King Dharanindravarman I (1107-1112), and (6) King Suryavarman II (1113-1150) (the King of Who built Angkor Wat temple)
Outstanding Universal Value
- Preah Vihear temple is the Cambodian second World Heritage site of UNESCO, enlisted in 2008 after Angkor Wat (1994).
- If you spend overnight, you can witness the milky way up there from the temple complex and of course, spectacular sunrise and the cloud below yourself.
- The Temple has a unique architectural complex of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases on an 800 meter long axis. It is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture, in terms of very ‘pure’ both in plan, detailed decoration and relationship to the spectacular landscape environment.
Entrance tickets
- 10$ per person for aliens, starts from 8am-5pm. If you want to witness sunrise, try to purchase a ticket the day before and tell them you want to do sunrise.
- A pick up truck booked at the ticket booth for 25$/round trip. It can accommodate 5-7 people.
- If you want to walk up the ancient stairs, you can save from pick up truck. It takes about 2 hours. It has beautiful scenery along the way.
Nearby attractions
- Beong Mealea temple, Google Map
- Koh Ker temple, Google Map
- Preah Khan Kompong Svay, Google Map
Read articles about other temples and sites around Preah Vihear province here:
Scroll down for some nice photos of the temple
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