Things to do in Preah Khan
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Preah Khan
Preah Khan's history is shrouded in mystery, but it was long an important religious site and some of the structures here date back to the 9th century. Both Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, and Jayavarman VII lived here at various times during their lives, suggesting that Preah Khan was something of a second city in the Angkorian empire.
Originally dedicated to Hindu deities, it was reconsecrated to Mahayana Buddhist worship during a monumental reconstruction undertaken by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The central structure, which included libraries and a pond for ablutions, has been devastated by looting in recent years. As recently as th…
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dharmasala
It is a further 400m southwest from Prasat Preah Stung to the walls of Preah Khan itself, which are surrounded by a moat similar to the one around the walled city of Angkor Thom. Entering through the eastern gopura (entrance pavilion), there is a dharmasala. Much of this central area is overgrown by forest, giving it an abandoned feel, though local authorities are undertaking a clearing programme.
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Prasat Damrei
At the eastern end of the 3km-long baray (reservoir) is a small pyramid temple called Prasat Damrei. On the remaining entrance wall, there are several impressive carvings of devadas (goddesses). At the summit of the hill, two of the original exquisitely carved elephants can still be seen; two others are at Phnom Penh's National Museum and Paris' Musée Guimet.
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Prasat Preah Stung
At the baray's western end stands Prasat Preah Stung (known to locals as Prasat Muk Buon - Temple of the Four Faces), perhaps the most memorable of the structures here because its central tower is adorned with four enigmatic Bayon-style faces.
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Prasat Preah Thkol
In the centre of the baray is Prasat Preah Thkol (known by locals as Mebon), an island temple similar in style to the Western Mebon at Angkor.
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