Information
Landmark: Preah KhanCity: Siem Reap
Country: Cambodia
Continent: Asia
Preah Khan, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Asia
Overview
Preah Khan, or “Sacred Sword,” is one of the largest and most important temples in Angkor Archaeological Park, a vast stone maze just outside Siem Reap, Cambodia.King Jayavarman VII built it in 1191 AD, and for a time it bustled as a Buddhist monastery, a university, and a temple, its stone corridors echoing with chants, before briefly serving as the royal residence until Angkor Thom rose.People often liken Preah Khan to Ta Prohm for its tangle of roots and moss-covered stones, yet it stands apart-partially restored, but still steeped in a misty, timeless hush.Preah Khan doesn’t draw the same crowds as Angkor Wat or Bayon, so you can wander its quiet stone corridors and moss-covered doorways in peace.Preah Khan stands on the very ground where the Khmer Empire fought a fierce battle against Cham invaders, who had seized Angkor in 1177 AD.After driving out the Chams, King Jayavarman VII built Preah Khan as a proud monument to his triumph and dedicated it to his father, Dharanindravarman II, whose name he carved into its stone.It served not just as a temple, but as a bustling Buddhist monastery and university, where more than a thousand monks and scholars pored over sacred texts in the quiet glow of oil lamps.The temple helped spread Mahayana Buddhism far and wide, though later Hindu rulers tried to alter its carvings or swap the serene Buddha figures for their own gods.Notable architectural details of Preah Khan, like its intricate stone carvings and weathered doorways.Preah Khan spans 56 hectares, its rectangular grounds opening at four main gates set neatly to the north, south, east, and west.A wide moat wraps around the temple complex, and beyond it rises a weathered wall built from dark, rough laterite.The eastern gate honored Buddhism, while the west welcomed Shiva, the north paid tribute to Vishnu, and the south celebrated Brahma, a layout that revealed the site’s rich blend of faiths.Number two stood alone, sharp as a pencil tip on the page.Preah Khan, meaning “Sacred Sword,” hints that the temple may once have guarded an actual blade-its steel flashing in the dim light-a potent emblem of Khmer royal power.At first, the central sanctuary honored Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, whose calm gaze was said to watch over all who entered.The temple stretches in a straight line, its shrines, echoing halls, and sunlit courtyards guiding you toward the heart of the complex.Number three stood alone, a small mark on the page like a pebble in white sand.Near the entrance, you’ll find the Hall of Dancers-a vivid, echoing space that stands out as one of the site’s most striking features.The hall’s walls are carved with delicate bas‑reliefs of Apsaras, celestial dancers caught mid‑step in their sacred dance.The pillars and walls burst with intricate carvings, each curve and pattern showing the Khmer’s remarkable skill.Number four.Like Ta Prohm, Preah Khan is known for its towering silk-cotton and strangler fig trees, their thick roots snaking over worn stone walls.Twisting roots and thick, overgrown trees cast deep shade, giving Preah Khan a dramatic, almost mystical feel-and making it one of Angkor’s most photogenic temples.Tree roots snake through some doorways and choke narrow corridors, their grip on the stone lending the place a real Indiana Jones vibe.Number five.One of Preah Khan’s rarest sights is a two-story pavilion held up by round stone columns-a striking feature almost never seen in Khmer design.No one knows for sure why this structure was built, though some scholars think it might once have served as a library or a royal meeting hall where voices echoed under high stone arches.Number six sat alone on the page, a small dark mark against the pale paper.Hidden bas-reliefs and carvings cover the temple walls, each etched with intricate images of Hindu and Buddhist deities, fierce warriors, and graceful celestial beings whose stone eyes seem to watch in silence.Some carvings show fierce battles, with Khmer warriors driving the Chams back under a rain of spears.Later Hindu rulers chipped away at many Buddhist images, sometimes carving new faces into the stone, a stark sign of the Khmer Empire’s changing religious tides.Preah Khan began as a Mahayana Buddhist temple, its walls once echoing with chants, but over time-like many Angkorian sites-it absorbed the influences of Hinduism and later Theravada Buddhism.Buddhist and Hindu images sit side by side, showing how easily faiths shifted in the Khmer Empire, like statues sharing the same sunlit temple wall.Once a thriving Buddhist monastery and university, it bustled with the footsteps of hundreds of monks and scholars.Later, they altered it to weave in Hindu elements, especially under King Jayavarman VIII, who returned to Hinduism and had countless Buddhist statues smashed, their stone faces left in fragments on the temple floor.Today, Preah Khan rises from the jungle as living proof of Cambodia’s spiritual depth and centuries of cultural change.I wandered through Preah Khan, past weathered stone gates and into the quiet shade of its courtyards.Go early, before 9 a.m., or wait until after 3 in the afternoon, when the air cools and the crowds thin.In the gentle glow of afternoon, the temple’s tangled trees and crumbling stone seem to breathe, every crack and leaf washed in gold.Number two.It’s just north of Angkor Thom, about two kilometers from Bayon Temple-a short ride past dusty roadside stalls.You can get there by bicycle, hop in a tuk-tuk, or join a guided tour.Many visitors pair their visit to Preah Khan with stops at Neak Pean, Ta Som, and the quiet, vine-covered ruins of Banteay Prei.Three.Expect a vast, winding temple where narrow corridors twist into shadowy passageways and open suddenly into quiet stone courtyards.Gorgeous ruins wrapped in tangled roots, like Ta Prohm but without the crowds.Long corridors lined with sacred carvings, the air thick with the damp, green scent of the jungle.In the end, Preah Khan stands out as one of Angkor’s most captivating and storied temples, its weathered stone corridors whispering centuries of history.Shaded by tangled branches and etched with delicate stone carvings, its hidden sanctuaries draw you into the Khmer Empire’s spiritual depth and architectural mastery.While Angkor Wat and Bayon draw the crowds, Preah Khan stays quiet, its moss-covered stones and shaded courtyards offering history buffs, photographers, and wanderers a peaceful place to explore.
