Bakong Temple (ប្រាសាទ បាគង)

Location: South of Preah Ko Temple

Access: Enter and leave at the East, a modern Buddhist temple occupies the northeast section of the complex

Date: Late ninth century (881)

King: Indravarman I (reigned 877- 889) 

Religion: Hindu (dedicated to Shiva)

Art Style: Preah Ko 

Bakong Temple, located in Hariharalaya (named after the synthesis deity Harihara, representing Shiva and Vishnu), is a prominent temple-mountain symbolizing Mount Meru, the cosmic axis. Its five ascending levels represent the mythical worlds of nagas, garudas, rakshasas, yakshas, and the divine realm at the summit. Likely serving as the state temple of Indravarman I, Bakong embodies both religious and architectural significance.

The temple is enclosed by two ramparts. The outer rampart, measuring 900 x 700 meters, surrounds a moat with causeways on four sides featuring naga balustrades. The inner rampart has gopuras (gateway towers) at the center of each wall. Structures within the complex include rest houses, brick buildings with circular holes (possibly ritual or functional), and sandstone halls along the processional way, possibly storehouses or libraries.

The temple's central sanctuary is a square, tiered structure crowned with a lotus-shaped spire, added during the 12th century. The sanctuary's design allows visibility from all five levels, emphasizing its sacred presence. The temple reflects a synthesis of spiritual symbolism and architectural ingenuity.

 

Tor Temple (ប្រាសាទ​ ទ)

Tor Temple has two brick towers that face East and an inscription about the natural irrigation in Sanskrit. Local people call this temple "Tor"

This place once had a dam to hold back water flowing from Phnom Kulen. The dam was closed in 1975. A Sanskrit inscription tells about the irrigation. 

Butchum Temple (ប្រាសាទបាតជុំ)

Butchum temple is located about 300 meters South of Srah Srang. It's constructed of brick and has three towers facing East. According to the inscription, the temple was built by a Buddhist officer named Kavey Treanrimthon during the reign of Rajendravarman, who was crowned in AD 944. 

 

Palilay Temple

 

Palilay temple is located North of Phimeanakas temple and behind Tep Pranom temple. Palilay temple was built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII’s father, King Dharanindravarman (AD 1150 - 1160), who was a Buddhist. The temple’s lintels and pediments on the ground afford a rare opportunity to see relief at eye level. Many depict Buddhist scenes with Brahmanism divinities. 

 Only the central sanctuary remains intact. The sandstone tower opens on four sides, each one with a porch. The tower stands on a base with three tiers intercepted by stairs on each side. The upper portion in collapsed and a truncated pyramid forms a cone which is filled with reused stones. This temple’s principal feature of interest is the Buddhist scenes on the front. They are some of the few that escaped defacement in the 15th century. The scenes depicted are East, a reclining Buddha reaching nirvana; South, a seated Buddha, which is especially beautiful in the mid-morning sun; North, a standing Buddha with his hand resting on an elephant. 

The word Palilay is derived from Paliyyaka, the name of the forest where the Buddha lived. The local people believed that when the Buddha lived in the forest, he was served by an elephant named Palilay.

Preah Khan Temple

Preah Khan temple is located 2km north-east of Angkor Thom on the Grand Circuit. The temple was built in the second half of the 12th century in AD 1191 by King Jayavarman VII, dedicated to his father Dharanindravarman. The Buddhist complex covers 56 hectares. The inscription indicates that Preah Khan was built on the battle site where King Jayavarman VII finally defeated Chams. In those days it was known as Nagarajayacri which means the city of Preah Khan. 

Four concentric ramparts subdivide Preah Khan. The outer of the fourth wall, encircled by a wide moat, today encloses a large tract of jungle, formerly the living quarters of the monks, students, and attendants of Preah Khan. The second rampart delineated the principal religious compound of about four hectares within a dense concentration of temples and shrines. The central complex is Buddhist. The northern and western sectors are dedicated to Brahmanism- Vishnu (West) and Shiva (North), while the southern sector is a place of ancestor worship. The eastern sector forms the grand entrance to the central shrine.

East Mebon Temple

East Mebon Temple is about 500m northeast of Pre Rup Temple. The temple was built in AD 952 by King Rajendravarman. The temple is similar to Pre Rup Temple in plan, construction and decoration. However, a major difference is that the East Mebon once stood on a small island in the middle of Yasodharatataka (the East Baray). The only access was by boat to one of the four landing platforms, situated at the mid-point on each of the four sides of the temple. The decoration on the lintels of the temple is superior in quality of workmanship and composition to that of Pre Rup. The motifs on the false doors, with small mythical figures frolicking amongst foliage, are particularly fine. 

Kravan Temple

Kravan Temple is located east of Angkor Wat and south of Banteay Kdei. The temple was built in 921 during the reign of King Harshavarman I (AD 910 -923), and dedicated to Vishnu Brahmanism. It may have been constructed by court officials. Although this temple looks small and somewhat undistinguished from the outside, it contains some remarkable brick sculptures on its interior walls which stand alone as unique examples of Khmer art. The interiors of two of the five towers have sculptures depicting Vishnu and his consort, Lakshmi; the scene in the central tower is the most impressive, but both are exceptional in stature and quality of workmanship. The five brick towers are in a row on one platform decorated with carved, sandstone, lintels, and columns. All of the towers open to the east.