Phnom Bakheng

Constructed : Late 9th/Early 10th century - 889-900
Religion : Hindu
Style : Bakheng
King : Yasovarman I ★ 889 - 910 ★
Location : With a little more than one kilometre in north of the principal entry of Angkor Wat and five hundred meters before the Southern Door of Angkor Thom, on the left of the road.

Comment : On the left of the road, one perforated in the forest, opposite some small merchants. The ruins of a monumental staircase which climbs the slope of a 60 m height natural hill, it is the temple mountain of Phnom Bakheng. Every evening, a many crowd - a little too many - is pressed there to go to admire the sunset. Some choose to ride elephant to go until in top of the hill, others climb the staircases courageously. Arrived in top, the sight is with the height of the efforts made for the rise. With far, one can see the silhouettes of Phnom Krom in the South and Phnom Khulen in North. One sees there also Baray, the forest of Angkor Thom and one overhangs Angkor Wat.

The construction of Phnom Bakheng (Bakheng Hill) is an important event insofar as it marks the displacement of the Khmer capital of Roluos towards Angkor. Moreover, Phnom Bakheng is largely inspired by Bakhong in its architecture but using materials and more elaborate methods of construction. It should be noted that this temple mountain is built directly on the rock whereas the other temples mountain are built on embankments.

Phimeanakas

Constructed : Late 10th/Early 11th century
Religion: Hindu
Style : Kleang
King : Jayavarman V ★ 968 - 1001 ★
Location : Angkor Thom, in the centre of the royal city, behind the Terrace of the elephants.

Comment : The small stairway pyramid type temple which is inside the court of Angkor Thom. It is the small temple because the king does the ceremony, it is located on the center of the court. The fact that Pimeanakas is not aligned perfectly compared to Victory Gate lets suppose that it would have been initially built at the time of Phnom Bakheng with which it is aligned, then rebuilt then.
Unfortunately, this Royal temple presents only very few sculptures having survived and is not very interesting from this point of view. On the other hand, of the top, the sight on Angkor Thom is particularly interesting. But to reach it, you will have to use with many precautions the western staircase, on our photograph, only staircase practicable but nevertheless very abrupt, which makes the descent rather perilous.

This temple is associated with a curious legend according to which it was inhabited by the spirit of a giant snake with nine heads which appeared every evening under the features of beautiful young woman with which the King was to couple himself under sorrow that a serious misfortune does not occur with its people or himself. The scandalmongers claim that the King would have imagined this legend to give himself more freedom.

Neak Pean

Constructed : Late 12th century
Religion: Mahayana Buddhism
Style : Bayon
King : Jayavarman VII ★ 1181 - 1218 ★
Location : In the north of the large circuit, between Preah Khan and Ta som.

Comment : Neak Pean is single in its kind. In the middle of a low-size baray today completely invisible, this small island temple is made of five swimming pools laid out in the shape of flower of lotus: A central swimming pool (70 metres) in the middle of which the temple is itself and four other swimming pools (20 metres) which form the petals of the flower. 4 overflows symbolize 4 rivers which took their source on the same lake meadows of the Kailash Mountain in the Tibet.

A complex hydraulic system was used to purify water and appears it gave him beneficial virtues. The temple in itself is of small size but its particular configuration is worth largely a visit. The modern name of Neak Pean (rolled up snakes) comes from a great number of snakes which proliferated in the neighbourhoods of the temple.

Western Prasat Top

Western Prasat Top - Monument 486

Constructed : 9th-17th century
Religion : Theravada Buddhism
Style : Post-Bayon
King : Jayavarman VII ★ 1181 - 1218 ★
Location : Angkor Thom, in the south of the Carpeaux road. Between Bayon and the Western Gate.

Comment : There does not remain unfortunately large thing of this small temple which has as a name only one simple number! It is however about one of the oldest elements of Angkor Thom, in a sad state, which you will be able nevertheless to admire some elements reconstituted on the ground. The amateurs of beautiful walks will see it while going to the Western Gate, they will go then along the ramparts of Angkor Thom, visit Prasat Chrung and will ask their driver to await them at the South Gate.

Mangalartha

Constructed : N/A
Religion : N/A
Style : N/A
King : N/A
Location : N/A

Comment : It is called the temple where Angkor period is constructed lastly.
Approach: From the open space before the court it faces to the gate of victory. Near front several hundred meters of gate, there is a stand bill of the wood which is called to the right side EASTERN PRASAT TOP. The thin road entering, several hundred meters it advances straight.