Prasat Kravan, is one of the most beautiful and interesting brick monuments of the Angkor era.
The temple was dedicated to ancestral spirits in honor of Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi in 921a.d. and features extraordinary bas-reliefs of the god and goddess that were carved directly into the interior brick walls of the towers: the only known instance of such adornment.
Prasat Kravan, is one of the most beautiful and interesting brick monuments of the Angkor era. The central sanctuary of the temple was dedicated to Vishnu in 921, apparently during the reign of Harshavarman I or Isanavarman II, who ruled from Angkor around the same time that Jayavarman IV established a competing capital in Koh Ker.
The most striking aspect of Prasat Kravan on first sight is the nearly seamless brick construction; the bricks were originally held together with an adhesive made of vegetable sap. The current construction is the result of French restoration work, which replaced missing or damaged bricks with those labeled CA (Conservation D’Angkor).
Although the image of Vishnu is long gone, Prasat Kravan features some extraordinary bas-relief carvings on the interior walls of two of the five towers. These carvings, made directly into the bricks, are the only known instance of such adornment. Both the south and the central towers boast diminishing tiers which give the impression through false perspective that they are taller than they actually are. The brickwork is also very impressive on the exterior: false doors, elaborate plinths and empty niches provide a variety of depth for the viewer.
Orientation
The parking lot for Prasat Kravan is to the rear of the temple; walk around to the front, eastern side of the temple, where there is little remaining but the foundations of the ancillary structures and the five brick temples which are aligned north to south.
The brick carvings are located within the central and northernmost of the towers. In the central tower, which once housed an image of Vishnu, the carvings depict various avatars of the god: the western wall in front of you is the 8 armed Vishnu-Vasudeva-Narayana surrounded by rows of devotees; the southern wall features Vamana, Vishnu’s avatar as a dwarf who crosses the water, earth, and heavens as he lays claim to the universe; and the north wall depicts a four-armed Vishnu astride his vehicle, the Garuda.
The northernmost tower, which underwent restoration in 2011 to improve upon the earlier work done in the 1960s, likely housed an image of Lakshmi, Vishnu’s consort, as the carvings within feature the goddess in various incarnations.
Need to Know
- What is it: Five brick towers built in honor of Vishnu and Lakshmi.
- When to visit: Prasat Kravan is fine to visit any time of day, though most eastern facing temples at Angkor are best photographed early in the morning.
- Nearest Town: Siem Reap
- Don’t Miss: Towers built of nearly seamlessly stacked bricks that feature unique bas-relief carvings.
- King: Harshavarman I
- Date: 921
- Religion: Hinduism/Vishnuism
- Artistic Style: Bakheng/Koh Ker