Preah Vihear Temple

Preah Vihear Temple was inscribed on the World Heritage List on 7 July 2008 at the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee in Quebec City, Canada. Preah Vihear Temple is located in northern Cambodia in the natural village of Srem Commune, Choam Ksan District, Preah Vihear Province[1] and was formerly located in K1 Village, Kantut Commune, Choam Ksan District, Preah Vihear Province[2]. Choam Ksan District was formerly located in Kampong Thom Province. Preah Vihear Temple is a mountain temple built on the peak of Preah Vihear Mountain in the Dangrek Mountain Range, which is 625 meters above sea level. The Khna inscriptions call Dangrek Mountain Phnom Kamphaeng or Phnom Chandhong. The Thai people call Dangrek Mountain Phnom Veng, while the Lao people call it Phnom Den Mueang. Preah Vihear Temple is located on the border with Sisaket Province of Thailand. Preah Vihear Temple is located approximately 55 km from Choam Ksan District Headquarters, 100 km from Preah Vihear Provincial Capital, over 150 km from Siem Reap Province, and approximately 400 km from Phnom Penh. The Dangrek Mountain Range forms the international natural border between Cambodia and Thailand. Preah Vihear Temple is located at 14.24 to 18 parallels of east latitude and 104 to 41.02 parallels of north longitude. Preah Vihear Temple is located on the back of Preah Vihear Mountain, covering an area of ​​800 by 400 square meters. The Preah Vihear Temple mountain is steep from the Cambodian side and sloping from the Thai side. Today, most traders and local people usually climb the mountain on Road C1 because it is easier to travel. Alternatively, tourists can climb Preah Vihear Mountain via the ancient stairs on the eastern side of the mountain, which were built during the time of the temple but were badly damaged. Currently, they are being repaired and replaced with wooden stairs under the supervision of the Preah Vihear National Authority. To travel to Preah Vihear Temple, you can choose from two routes:

-From Siem Reap, take the road to Banteay Srei Temple, go to Anlong Veng District, reach the Vang Vong Moul Sream, then continue for about 20 kilometers and reach the K1 stop, where you can buy tickets to Preah Vihear Temple.

-From Phnom Penh to Kampong Thom Province, then to the Siem Reap-Preah Vihear intersection, then turn right through Sambor Prei Kuk Resort or Sambor Prei Kuk Temple until the Phnom Dek intersection, then turn left to Preah Vihear Provincial Town and continue until the Vang Vong Moul Sream.

+History of the Temple

Archaeologists have always thought that the temple was built in a way that was almost the same as other structures in the architecture of Sthech Suryavarman I, namely a temple on a mountain, built into a mountain, similar to Wat Phou Temple, Phnom Chisor Temple, Cheung Prey Temple, Wat Trach Temple...etc. The carvings on the spires are similar to those at Banteay Srei and Koh Ker. Research suggests that the construction of Preah Vihear Temple began in the early 9th century during the reign of King Jayavarman II (802-850). According to the inscription K-583 at Baphuon Temple, during the reign of King Rajendravarman II (844-968), Lord Indrayuth, the son of King Jayavarman II, went to perform ablutions at Lingaboprat Mountain (Wat Phu Champasak Temple in Laos) and brought the Iso Linga from the natural mountain linga (Swayambhulinga) to be placed on Preah Vihear Mountain in the name of the deity Sri Sikhriswara, which means the deity of the mountain peak. This is the name given to the Iso Linga at Preah Vihear Temple and is also the name of the ancient Preah Vihear Temple. Preah Vihear Temple was built to honor the Brahman god Isora. The Khmer kings who built Preah Vihear Temple are:

-Prince Indriyayuth, son of King Jayavarman II (802-850)

-King Yasovarman I (889-900)

-King Rajendravarman II (944-968)

-King Suryavarman I (1002-1050)

-King Dayadityavarman I (1056-1060)

-King Hasaravarman II (1060-1080)

-King Jayavarman VI (1080-1109)

-King Suryavarman II (1113-1150)

The prominent kings who built and renovated Preah Vihear Temple are:

The kings who built and renovated Preah Vihear Temple include:

King Yasovarman I: He built the central temple.

King Suryavarman I: He built a long building near the central temple, a surrounding wall, and a third gopura. According to the temple's inscriptions, King Suryavarman I organized a ceremony to invite the god Bhadraswara, who resided in Wat Phu (Laos), to live with the god Srei Sikhariswara, to help protect and preserve the Khmer empire and people.

King Jayavarman VI: He built two hotrai or libraries and renovated some parts of the temple.

King Suryavarman II: He built a courtyard with seven-headed dragons, lions on the road, and more dragons on the stairs. He organized a ceremony to inaugurate the temple and consider it a place of worship for all kings.

According to research from many Khmer historical documents, Preah Vihear Temple has been built of sandstone since the reign of King Suryavarman I. King Suryavarman I reigned in the first half of the 11th century. The site of the temple, which is located on the highest point, is 625 meters (French documents) or 615 meters (English documents). The history of the construction of Preah Vihear Temple is on the Khmer inscription at Prasat Baphuon in Siem Reap, K-583: The person who inscribed the inscription is named Harivaha, during the reign of King Rajendravarman I, 944 to 968 AD. It is written in Sanskrit and ancient Khmer. It is written that there was a prince named Indriyayut, who brought a lingam called Srei Sikharisvara to settle and establish here, which is the temple of Preah Vihear. He was very powerful. He had great power to fight with the Cham king and capture the Cham king. Regarding this inscription, historians believe that there is no other inscription that mentions a battle to capture a Cham king, but the king he captured may not have been the Cham king who ruled the entire Cham country. Perhaps a small king who ruled a kingdom that bordered Cambodia. The temple of Preah Vihear was given to Thailand by France in 1954 and was returned to the Kingdom of Cambodia by a verdict dated June 15, 1962 at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands.