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Mahendraparvata (Phnom Kulen) | |
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Mahendraparvata, 'The Mountain of the Great Indra' is the place, in the south-east of the Kulen plateau, where King Jayavarman II (800-850) is said to have founded, in 802, the independent and unified kingdom Kambuja/Kampuchea. The ruins of the temples spread over an area of 10 km north-south by 5 km east-west. Damrei Krap, Neak Ta, and Prasat Kraham show Cham or Java influence. The monuments are badly neglected, overgrown and barricaded by brushwood. Most sandstone artefacts, even complete entrance doors, have been stolen. Phnom Kulen Archaeological Program In 2007 a project has been started, intending to 'conduct global archaeological field studies including prospections, surveys, excavations and conservation'. Links |
Access A poor road leads from Preah Thomto the villages Anlong Thom, Ta Pen, Khla Khmum, and back to Preah Thom. You need a motor bike. The way may be impassable in the rainy season. Take water with you and food; up the hills you will get nothing. To move around you need local scouts, you find them in the villages. You have to walk some distance. Don't try to do this on your own! Maybe there are landmines. Or:You can stay overnight in the guesthouse in Svay Leu (for this you need mosquito coils and a torch). In the morning you walk up to Wat Ta Pen, east of Ta Pen village. You don't need a scout for this pretty and bustling footpath. There is one fork near the foot of the hill, here you keep right. Your bike driver goes via Preah Thom and Anlong Thom village to Wat Ta Pen. (Locals pay $1 road fee.) |
 Prasat O-Phaong |
References Parmentier, Henri, L'art khmer primitif, 2 vol., Paris, 1927. Boulbet, Jean, Le Phnom Kulen et sa région, Paris 1979. Vittorio Roveda, Images of the Gods, Bangkok 2005, p. 328 f. Chevance, Jean Baptiste, L'architecture et le décor des temples du Phnom Kulen, Cambodge, Paris, 2006. CAC, Province de Siem Reap, 2007. From there the map. |
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 Prasat Damrei Krap |
 Prasat Kraham |
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