Preah Khan

Construction : Late 12th century – 1191

Religion: Buddhism
Style : Bayon
King : Jayavarman VII   (1181 – 1218 )
Location : On the large circuit, in the North of Angkor Thom,
approximately two kilometres after the Northern Gate.

Beautiful to be cried! Preah Khan, “the crowned sword”, it is the most beautiful monument of whole Angkor! Built by Jayavarman VII little after Ta Phrom, but in the honour of his father, this temple is of an incomparable beauty. Unfortunately of broad part of this monument are reduced to heaps of stones which piled up during centuries and under the force of the vegetation and the bad weather.

Preah Khan, city of the Victory would have been built on the same spot where Jayavarman VII gained the victory over Chams, provisional royal city when the Royal Palace of Angkor Thom was downtown repair and especially monastic where unrolled many traditional and religious festivals.

It was in fact a real city of 56 hectares. In spite of the vandalism and the plunder there’re still some magnificent sculptures. The city sheltered 10.000 persons, 1000 dancers and one Sanscrit’s school. Originally it was a convent Buddhist whose Buddha’s representations were destroyed by Brahmanes (Indian priests) and replaced by representations Hindus, (A single Bouddha representation stayed). To arrive in the center of the temple, a row of galleries and doors which become more and more low has measure that one approaches the centre (to show his respect). In the center, a stone, big Stuppa Bouddhiste which was brought in the XVth century. There’re small holes in all the walls in the center of the building. Originally, in every hole was some gold and diamonds, one says that all this was taken and resold by the Red Khmers. Magnificent sculptures of the gods barattant the sea of milk, as well as Vishnu and Lakshmi (his wife), and the place of 3 Lingams (sex of the Gods), circle on the base for Shiva, square for Brahma and octagonal for Vishnu. One finds as in Ta Phrom, a luxuriant vegetation which resumed its rights.