Krol Romeas

Its location atop Phnom Kulen suggests it should be a place of great reverence; the mountain 30 miles outside of Siem Reap was the site of devaraja initiation for all Khmer kings beginning with 9th century Jayavarman II, who centered his kingdom here for some years.

Built of sandstone (as opposed to brick of which many small temple of the day were constructed), Krol Romeas is rumored to have been a brothel rather than a temple. Its location close to the royal palace of Jayavarman II prior to relocation to Hariharilaya later in life, is cited as weak evidence of such. Anyhow, stone was usually only used for building religious structures and bridges, but for some reason Krol Romeas was also built to survive the ages. There is evidence that wooden structures used to stand here as well but the wood has long since rotted away.

Few people visit Krol Romeas mainly due to its small size, remote location, ruinous condition, and unknown history, although great views can be seen from its location, and some choose to visit here to avoid the constant crowds at the more popular temples such as Angkor Wat.