Koh Ker

Early in the 10th century, following a conflict over the Angkorian throne, a new capital city was established roughly 50 miles (96 km) to the northeast of Angkor in Chok Gargyar (Koh Ker). Reigning for nearly 20 years from Koh Ker, Jayavarman IV utilized plentiful sandstone quarries to construct some of the largest and most impressive temples and statuary in Cambodian history, including the 7-tiered steppe pyramid Prasat Thom (“Big Tower”), an artificial reservoir (Rahal baray), and statues of the fighting monkey-men and the wrestlers that are on display at the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

While Koh Ker is renowned for its massive pyramid and oversized statuary, access to Prasat Thom is limited to ground level (someone fell and died a number of years ago) and nearly all the statuary is gone (save a few rather interesting elephants and lions); consequently, the temple complex can be visited in as little as an hour, though 2-3 hours would be a more adequate amount of time to enjoy the primary attractions at a leisurely pace.

Koh Ker is only really accessible through an organized tour or with a rental car or tuk tuk, as the ruins are remotely located and there is almost no tourism infrastructure in the surrounding villages save a few guesthouses in the nearest town. Once there however, all of the major ruins are easily accessible along a road that loops around the Rahal baray; there are even signs indicating the names of each of the temples you pass along the way.

While there are many more temples than are accessible from the road, its not even necessary to stop and visit every one of those that is located beside the road, unless you have the time to spare. Anyway, wandering off the established circuit to explore smaller temples is extremely dangerous as the area around the temples is still considered unsafe: the countryside in this part of Cambodia still contains land mines that have yet to be found and destroyed.

Temples of Koh Ker

In the order that you are likely to visit them, circumnavigating the Rahal baray along the road that leads in a clockwise direction, the first temples you will pass are those of the Southern Group: Prasat Pram, Prasat Neang Khmau, Prasat Andong, Prasat Ang Khna, and Prasat Damrei. The most interesting of this group of temples is Prasat Damrei (Elephant Temple), which features elephant statuary facing outwards on each of the corners of the temple and lion statues on either side of each of the four stairways leading up to the central sanctuary.

As the road bends to pass around the west side of the Rahal, you will pass nearly a dozen more temple complexes known as the Northern Group. While each has particular aspects of interest, within the row of western-facing temples towards the end of the Northern Group remain some enormous sandstone lingas, including inside the last of the temples, Prasat Balang, also known as Prasat Ling. The stout linga rests within a massive, square yoni pedistal, from which a conduit leading through the northern wall once allowed lustral water placed on the linga to drain.

Located near the northwest corner of the Rahul baray, the state temple of Jayavarman IV, Prasat Thom (‘Big Tower’) is the feature attraction at Koh Ker. Enclosed by two abutting rectangular walls, the first enclosure contains Prasat Kraham (“Red Tower”), which is the second tallest structure in the complex and once housed a 12ft (4km)-tall statue of a 10-armed dancing Shiva, and then a temple complex set within a nearly square moat.

Visitors must walk more than 500 yards through Prasat Kraham and across the moat-enclosed temple complex before arriving at the majestic pyramid of Prasat Thom. Standing roughly 120 feet high (36m), the 7-tier steppe pyramid once housed Jayavarman IV’s linga Tribhuvenesvara, which he brought with him from Angkor to found his kingdom. As of 2011, the summit of the pyramid was closed to visitors; though the decorative elements at the summit are gone, the view from the summit is arguably breathtaking. Walking around the west side of Prasat Thom will reveal a small hill, known mysteriously as the “Tomb of the White Elephant.”

South of Prasat Thom lies Prasat Chhin, (“Chinese Temple”) where the renowed statue of the fighting monkey-men was discovered. While this statue is currently on display at the National Museum in Phnom Penh, a lintel carving featuring Garuda atop entwined nagas remains in situ on the southernmost tower. On the ground to the east of the central tower you may discover the torso and partial arm of a statue of Vishnu and a doorway tablet with inscriptions written over 1000 years ago!