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Temple Hopping in Siem Reap


Pre Rup

sandstone construction.


Pre Rup is one of the most popular sunset spots around Angkor, as the view over the surrounding rice fields of the Eastern Baray is beautiful.



East Mebon

The East Mebon  a 10th Century temple at AngkorCambodia. Built during the reign of King Rajendravarman, it stands on what was an artificial island at the center of the now dry East Baray reservoir.


It was constructed on a man made 120 meters wide island in the East Baray, a huge water reservoir measuring 2 by 7 kilometers, and was only reachable by boat.

The baray, which is now dry, was named Yasodharatataka at the time, and was located East of Angkor Thom. The temple was restored in the 1930’s by Henri Marchal and Maurice Glaize, two French conservators of Angkor. Its main attraction is its intricate lintels, that are very well preserved and are among the best in Angkor.

Neak Pean

Neak Pean (or Neak Poan)(“The entwined serpents”) at AngkorCambodia is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a circular island in Jayatataka Baray, which was associated with Preah Khan temple, built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. It is the “Mebon” of the Preah Khan baray (the “Jayatataka” of the inscription)



Preah  Khan

The Preah Khan temple located just outside the capital city Angkor Thomwas built in 1191; its name translates to “the Sacred Sword”.

The temple was built by Jayavarman VII, a Buddhist King who liberated Angkor by driving out the occupying forces of the Cham. The King who earlier dedicated the Ta Prohm temple to his mother, dedicated the Preah Khan to his father. The statue of Lokeshvara was carved to resemble the King’s father.


Between the second and third enclosure are three satellite temples. While the Southern sanctuary building is in a ruined state, the Northern building is in a much better condition. The pediments and lintels contain several well preserved carvings including Vishnu reclining on Ananta, Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana, depictions of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu and several battle scenes.


At the heart of Angkor Thom is the 12th-century Bayon, the mesmerising, if slightly mind-bending, state temple of Jayavarman VII. It epitomises the creative genius and inflated ego of Cambodia’s most celebrated king. Its 54 Gothic towers are decorated with 216 gargantuan smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara, and it is adorned with 1.2km of extraordinary bas-reliefs incorporating more than 11,000 figures.

Known as the ‘face temple’ thanks to its iconic visages, these huge heads glare down from every angle, exuding power and control with a hint of humanity. As you walk around, a dozen or more of the heads are visible at any one time, full face or in profile, sometimes level with your eyes, sometimes staring down from on high. Over 2000 large faces carved on the 54 tower give this temple its majestic character. The characteristics of this faces – a broad forehead, downcast eyes, wild nostrils, thick lips that curl upwards slightly at the ends-combine to reflect the famous ‘Smile of Angkor’.

Bayon 5


The Baphuon is the state temple of King Udayadityavarman II. It is located in the old Khmer capital city Angkor Thom, between the Royal Palace and the Prasat Bayon. The sandstone monument that was dedicated to Shiva is in the shape of a stepped pyramid.

When the temple was converted into a Buddhist temple in the 15th century, part of the Baphuon was demolished and the stones used to build a Buddha image on the West end of the temple. The very large reclining Buddha image, which shape is difficult to make out, was never completed.

Royal Palace, Angkor Thom

The Royal Palace was first built by king Suryavarman I and used continuously from the 11th to the late 16th century AD. During that period, the area was transformed and restored several times. Recent excavations have revealed many remains, such as a 10th century temple which was built by a minister to Yasovarman I, was probably considered to be this minister’s residence.

Most of the royal palace buildings were constructed by using perishable materials because they would have been non-religious in nature.

The rectangular place of the royal palace was surrounded by a 5 meters high laterite wall with 246 meters along the north-south axis and 585 meters along the east-west axis, covering an area of more than 14 hectares. Five sandstone gopuras with steps served as the entrance to the palace. Two gupuras are located on the south ,other two are on the north, the largest one faces to the east and aligned with the Elephant Terrace and Victory Gate.


The Elephant Terrace

The Terrace of the Elephants is part of the walled city of Angkor Thom, a ruined temple complex in Cambodia. The terrace was used by Angkor‘s king Jayavarman VII as a platform from which to view his victorious returning army. It was attached to the palace of Phimeanakas, of which only a few ruins remain. Most of the original structure was made of organic material and has long since disappeared. Most of what remains are the foundation platforms of the complex. The terrace is named for the carvings of elephants on its eastern face.


The Terrace of the Elephant King is a 2.5-meter tall terrace that stretches over 300 meters through the core of Angkor Thom. Three main platforms and two secondary platforms compose the terrace. On the terrace’s north end is the Terrace of the Leper King. On the terrace’s south end is the Baphuon.

Khmer King Jayavarman VII ordered the construction of the terrace sometime in the late 12th or early 13th century. The Terrace of the Elephants is considered to be the magnum opus of King Jayavarman VII’s kingship, and perhaps the grandest royal terrace in Cambodia.

Angkor Wat





Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm is the modern name of the temple at AngkorSiem Reap ProvinceCambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara). Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the KhmerKing Jayavarman VI as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor’s most popular temples with visitors. UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region. The conservation and restoration of Ta Prohm is a partnership project of the Archaeological Survey of India and the APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap). The temple of Ta Prohm was used as a location in the film Tomb Raider.


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