Preah Vihear Province
Preah Vihear (Khmer: RBHvihar) is a northern province of Cambodia. The Capital is Tbeng Meanchey town. The province is named after the temple of Preah Vihear. Straddling the borders of Laos and Thailand in Cambodia`s far north, Preah Vihear is one of the most remote provinces in Cambodia. But, in the past it was an important place as a result one can be seen of the famous group of temples such as Koh Ker, Preah Vihear, Preah Khan Kompong Svay.
The province is subdivided into 7 districts; Chey Sien, Chheb, Choam Khsan, Kulen, Ro Vieng, Sangkom Thmey & Tbeng Meanchey.
Area : 13,788 km2
Population : 170,852 (2008)
Population Density : 12.4/km2
Tourist Attractions
- Bac Kam Pagoda (17 km from town):
- Koh Ker Temple Complex (72 km from town):
Koh Ker used to be palace of the Khmer emperor by King Jayavarman IV whom built this city in year 921 AD. The Koh Ker was the third ancient capital of Khmer Empire; it may have been the capital for just 15 years. King Jayavarman IV was determined to legitimize his rule through an extensive building program, and left behind 30 major temples and some gargantuan sculpture seen today in Phom Penh and the temple still hidden in the heart of jungles.
- Krapum Chhouk Temple (45 km from south of Tbeng Meanchey): Built in the 1oth century in laterite and sandstone.
- Kork Beng Temple (In Tbeng Meanchey): A ruined laterite and sandstone temple built between 936 and 951 by a commander named Kork on the border of King Jayavarman IV.
- Neak Buos Temple (75km north of Tbeng Meanchey):
- Noreay Temple (32 km northeast of town): 7th century temple made of sandstone, laterite and brick.
- Phnom Pralean Temple (10 km from Tbeng Meanchey): A temple built to worship Brahmanism on top of a 180 meters hill.
- Preah Vihear: Built in the 12th century located between Thailand and Cambodia. It was listed as World Heritage Site on 7th July 2008.
Preah Vihear temple is 108km from provincial town of Preah Vihear. The Preah Vihear temple is located slightly east of the midsection of the mountain range of Dangrek. It is also perched on the edge of a giant cliff, 625 meters above sea level, in the northern part of Preah Vihear province. Lying out on an 800 meters north-south axis, the Preah Vihear complex has a single imposing approach, leading up through a series of five towered entrance pavilions connected by causeways and 120 meters long steps. Stunningly sitting at the top of the Preah Vihear temple, the main sanctuary is surrounded by libraries and other structures.
Its history is mentioned as follow:
In the 9th century, Khmer King Yasovarman I (889 – 900) originally began work on the construction of a small sanctuary then named Sekharesvara “ Lord of Summit” and dedicated to Shiva.
Spiritual development, increased political power and economic growth were factors that inspired the Khmer kings to the architectural imagination. It took more than 300 years to construct the whole temple during the reigns subsequent kings - Suryavarman I (1002 - 1050), Jayavarman VI (1080-1107), and Suryavarman II (1113 – 1150) in the various structures that merged into a homogeneous Hindu universe called magical home of gods.
As a result of its finest carving in situ found there, The Preah Vihear temple was officially declared a World Heritage Site on 7th July 2008 by the 21-Nation World Heritage committee of the UNESCO in Quebec City, Canada.
King’s residence
The king has a residence at Preah Vihear where he would pay homage to the mighty God. The residence has two wings, which were probably shelters for pilgrims. The main temples were used to worship high-ranking supreme divinities, and this mighty group of buildings represents the center of the temple complex.
The Naga Courtyard
The paved courtyard is 7m wide by 31.8m long. From here, a stairway leads up to the first level Gopura. The stairheads are in the form of seven-headed snakes and these faces north towards the Prasat (tower). The heads and tails of the nagas on both sides look like ordinary snakes, and characterize an early example of this type of sculpture. The head portion of the naga on the west side is impressive because it is carved from a single, solid stone.
The First Level Gopura
This pavilion looks Greek in its architectural style and has an elevated cross-plan, rebates and triangular lintels over its doorways. There are also stone lions at each doorway.
The Front Stairway
This is the main passage is on the north side. The stairway is 8m wide and 78m long. The first flight has 162 steps, and at the first landing, there is a large stone lion statue on a stone block. Another flight of 54 steps is 4m wide and 27m long, and leads up to the second landing, which also has a stone lion statue.
Preah Khan Kampong Svay or Ba Kan: (105 km from town)
The Preah Khan complex is the largest enclosure of ancient Cambodia at nearly five kilometres square, bigger than Angkor Thom (3.3 kms sq) and Banteay Chhmar (4 kms sq). The group consists of a central sanctuary and four enclosures with many accessory buildings, basins, a large eight-metre wide moat and temples, some of which are outside the outer enclosure walls. Outside the enclosure is the small pyramid temple of Prasat Preah Damrei of some twelve low tiers. Built in the 9th century, it stands on a terrace and is approached by a series of steps. Enclosed by a laterite wall with four gates, the upper corners of the pyramid is guarded by massive stone elephants. The main eastern approach into the complex is via a large baray, some 600 x 3,000 metres, where a cruciform sandstone shrine, Preah Thkol, occupies an island in the center. At the western end of the baray is an 11th century structure, Prasat Preah Stung, whose sanctuary is surmounted by a central tower with four Bayon-like faces and a remarkable terrace with carvings of 'hamsa' (swans). An ornately carved naga bridge gives access to the main eastern entry gopura, flanked by two smaller entrance halls. The inner walls have galleries and gates and alongside the re-built central sandstone tower are two libraries. The walls are adorned with apsara carvings and a royal pool has been cleared of weeds and foliage. Closeby is a sandstone 'dharmasala' (rest house), similar to the one found at Preah Khan of Angkor.
The main group of temples were built in the 12th century when Preah Khan was home to both King Suryavarman II and later, the future King Jayavarman VII, before the latter defeated the invading Chams, claimed the throne and moved his capital back to Angkor in 1181. The story of his victories are celebrated in bas-relief carvings on the walls of the Bayon and Banteay Chhmar. Located 100 kilometres east of Angkor, the site was studied in the 1870s by Louis Delaporte, who shamefully looted and carried off a number of substantial carvings that are now housed in the Guimet Museum in Paris. However, one masterpiece remains in the National Museum in Phnom Penh and that's a finely sculpted head, believed to be of Jayavarman VII. A millennium celebration at Preah Khan attracted hundreds of locals and vegetation was cleared from the site for the occasion, but it remains a complex very much in its natural state, inundated with trees, scrubs and dense foliage throughout. With the re-emergence of Cambodia's remotest areas from years of inaccessibility.
