Just a few kilometers from the charming Neak Pean lies the last temple to visit during my first day solo tour in Angkor Wat Heritage Park. By this time, I was pretty much tired but I decided to consume the last bit of my energy for one last epic adventure for the day. And glad I just did that because what I'm going to share to you is one of the mightiest to exist among all temples I've explored.
WELCOME TO PREAH KHAN
Preah Khan is one of the largest ancient temple compounds in Cambodia. And just like Ta Prohm or the Jungle temple, Preah Khan is also guarded by a huge forest covering all four sides of its exterior walls. A famous and also sought-after temple by bustling tourist crowds, I found myself in a very quiet and peaceful environment late that afternoon as I walked onto the Western City Gate.
This railway depicts gods holding the body of a serpent.
Moat surrounding Preah Khan.
A giant Garuda sculpture on the exterior wall
Inside the Western City Gate.
This exterior wall runs 800m in the east and west sides and 700m in the north and south sides. This is the 4th enclosure surrounding Preah Khan. Its made of laterite materials and has giant Garudas engraved around the wall.
Stepping beyond the western walls of Preah Khan, I walked into a quaint temple surrounded with lively trees and green grass. This is the West Temple guarded by two lion statues and one standing statue of unknown identity just before the doorway. Beyond the entrance of the West Temple is a series of other doorways and passages going to the Central Sanctuary.
Through these dark aisles and corridors, each turn would take you to a rich display of Khmer culture and history through its detailed wall carvings and intricate designs. Even narrow hallways are engraved with beautiful Buddhist deities that seem to give you a glimpse of its glorious past. Despite walls and structures turned black and have decayed throughout time, they still hold a distinct architecture that only belongs to Preah Khan.
This temple complex was similarly built like Ta Prohm which is a flat temple. All structures are all ground level but bigger than that of the Jungle temple. Going through the hallways, the theme of this place which sets it apart from the previous temples I've visited were the preserved carvings on almost all walls I walked past.
Yoni Pedestals
PREAH KHAN'S GLORIOUS PAST
Over 56 hectares of land, it is more than just a temple. Its basically a city. And just like a city, it has many buildings and structures that served many purposes. Besides being a royal home for King Jayavarman VII, the place functions as a Buddhist monastery, a school with over 1000 teachers, a shrine of hundreds of Hindu statues, a ruling capital, and much more with over 100,000 Khmer people.
Before Angkor Thom was built and became the capital city during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, this infamous royalty built Preah Khan as his first and temporary residence while Angkor Thom's construction was in progress. King Jayavarman VII was famously known as the Temple Builder and one of the most powerful kings in the history of Khmer empire. While Ta Prohm was built in honor of his mother, he built Preah Khan in honor of his father.
Maurice Glaize who discovered Preah Khan and the rest of Angkor Wat heritage park found its stele which documents the rich history of this temple. In this stele, Preah Khan's' original Sanskrit name was "Nagarashrijaya" which means "City of Glorious Victory". After which its present name Preah Khan means "Sacred Sword".
A battle took placed in Preah Khan as King Jayavarman ousted the Cham ruler trying to take over Angkor Wat.
Row of Meditating hermits
Preah Khan is a massive place. I realized that I've only explored half of it which are the Northwestern Courtyard, Southwestern Courtyard and the Central Sanctuary where the Central Prasat is located. The structures of both courtyards are lavishly decorated with intricate engraved designs of leaves, hoops or coils, rows of cross legged sitting hermits and female Hindu deities.
Lintel with well-preserved Buddhist deity Lokeshwara
After the reign of King Javayarman VII, many Buddha images and carvings were destroyed or defaced or completely removed during the Hindu resurgence under Jayavarman VIII
Unknown to me was this doorway with a well-preserved Dvarapala carving on its pillar at the northern entrance of the main temple and the strangler fig engulfing the walls is a famous photography sight of Preah Khan.
A Dvarapala or Dvarapalaka is a door or gate guardian often portrayed as a warrior or fearsome giant, usually armed with a weapon - the most common being the gada (mace). The dvarapala statue is a widespread architectural element throughout Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina cultures.
The Central Sactuary used to house the Avalokiteshvara statue but now is lost however the 16th century stupa still exists to this day which was built by another Buddhist King that was traced back to a time where Angkorian renaissance happened.
As time was running out and the sun was beginning to set, I could no longer pursue the rest of this temple city afraid that I would be lost wandering inside the endless hallways of Preah Khan. Although I was really feeling lucky to have experienced a short but magical adventure without the distractions of other tourists. My heart is set to come back and conquer the other side of Preah Khan - The City of the Sacred Sword.
Thank you for dropping by.
Join me on my next adventure blog!
Sending you love and light.
Mermaid by day, Witch by night. Dive into Clara's world of bliss as she ventures out into the universe and travel to awesome destinations. Join her as she take on the road to self-discovery and limitless possibilities.
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