Preah Palilay is situated at North of Phimeanakas and built in Middle to last half of the twelfth century by King Jayavarman VII. This temple devoted to Buddhist and art style of Angkor Wat temple.
The presence of Buddhist monks and nuns at this temple give it a feeling of an active place of worship. Lintels and pediments lying on the ground at the sides and back of the temple afford an uncommon chance to see relief at eye level. Many depict Buddhist scenes with Hindu divinities.
History
The concurrence of Hindu and Buddhist components and lacking of establishment stele or engravings make to some degree troublesome dating this temple. It is generally credited to Jayavarman VIII rule, yet it appears to be hard to clarify how the Buddhist symbolism could have survived from the iconoclast fury of that epoch. Possibly it was constructed in various periods: the sanctuary in the first half of twelfth century, while the gopura in the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century. The temple was cleaned by Henri Marchal in 1918-19, while the gopura was reestablished by anastylosis by Maurice Glaize in 1937-38.
Depiction
The temple has a cross- shaped terrace, 8.5 meter by 30 meter long, with seven-headed naga (snake) balaustrades in great conditions, on the east, protected by two beheaded dvarapalas and a lion (of a unique two). A 33 meter-long causeway links it to the single sandstone gopura. Prior to the laterite enclosure 50 meter square there is an altar with a 3 meter tall statue of Buddha, sitting on a lotus, of a later period.
The gopura has three entrances, the east- facing pediment of the northern one shows "the offering of the animals in the forest of Parilyyaka", where the Buddha retreated after leaving Kosambi. It appears that the starting point of Pralilay could have been the change of the name Parilyyaka. Even alternate pediments indicates model scenes of Buddha. The sandstone sanctuary remains on a three layered basement, 6 meter high in overall. It has a 5 meter square focal chamber that opens to the four cardinal points with as numerous vestibules. Their classical ornamentations, unfortunately ruined, propose that the sanctuary has to be in the first half of the twelfth century and is older than the gopura. Indeed, even the trademark chimney-like tower that stands above seems to be a later expansion, possibly a frame for a covering.
A few sections of the pediments have been taken away for safety's sake, others lying on the ground. The visible parts demonstrate Indra on his mount, the elephant Airavata, and the attack of the demoniac armed force of Mara.
Only the Central Sanctuary of Prah Palilay remains intact. The sandstone tower opens on four sides, each one of which has a porch. The tower remains on a base with three levels and has a stairway on each side. On the upper part there is a truncated pyramid that forms a kind of chimney, which is loaded with reused stones.
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