Preah Khan temple

On September 28, 2017 / Cambodia, Preah Khan

Preah Khan, temple of the sacred sword

Preah Khan of Angkor, not to be mistaken with Preah Khan of Kompong Svay, is one of the most beautiful and underrated temple within the Angkor archaeological park. Although Angkor Wat is the most impressive in term of architecture and symmetry it lacks some atmosphere.

When you visit Preah Khan, you will have the feeling of being one of the first explorers wandering within the narrow corridors, courtyards and concealed chambers. The walls of this ancient site boast an extraordinary palette, adorned with various shades of green, black, and red, courtesy of the diverse lichen and moss species. Colors are changing also with the seasons making this temple an ever changing playground for photographers. It is one the rare temple in Angkor worth exploring with your camera under the rain

This temple, commissioned in 1191, is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, one of the most charismatic Khmer king who built also the famous temples of Ta Prohm and Bayon. It is also known as the temple of the sacred sword, and dedicated to the father of Jayavarman VII (divinity Jayavarmesvara). The temple was a monastic city dedicated to teaching and of course a place of devotion. A stele discovered in 1939 by Maurice Glaize gave away many information for example 100,000 people were living on site, including 1000 teachers. We also learned that the temple was built on the battle site where Jayavarman VII defeated the Cham army. 60 tons of gold inlays were believed to be in the temple making an unique treasure in the 12th century.

Preah Khan | Temple layout

The temple was built on a flat ground oriented East to West, with a naga bridge on both side (most visitors enter via the west entrance). There are also two other entrances on the north and south of the temple, the later one not been used. The temple complex spread on 56 hectares with 4 concentric enclosures. It has 72 garudas (mythical bird-man),holding two nagas, all spread around the outer wall. The 40 meters wide moat is full of water all year around although some sections are dry during the months of April and May.

Preah Khan temple map (Maurice Glaize)

Preah Khan temple central sanctuary under heavy rain

Lotus flowers and candles at the central sanctuary’s stupa

Preah Khan temple | Conservation work

Past

The first conservation work was carried out by Henri Marchal from the EFEO between 1927 and 1932. After the war, conservation works was resumed by the WMF (Word Monument Fund) with a series in missions in 1991,1992, 1993 and 1994. In the 90’s, archeologists described the temple as a partial ruin deep in the jungle. Beside the consolidation and the restoration of many structures, an important goal of all these missions was to train Khmer people in conservation.

Like many temples of Angkor, Preah Khan suffered from looting during the Khmer rouge regime. By looking at archive pictures and footage you can see that a lot of statues are missing now. For example the two guardians at the west gopura still had their head in 1968 and a lion was still standing before the platform.The naga bridge on the east side just have half of giant face left out of the original 108…. Not so long ago, in 1993 and 1996, thieves tried to steal stone heads of Asura but fortunately got stopped.

Current

In 1996, WMF launched the Adopt a Garuda program. With a donation of USD 25,000 a garuda can be completely restored. The program is quite successful as in 2009, 27 of the 72 have been restored so far. Preah Khan is actually part of a larger WMF program which includes also Angkor Wat and Phnom Bakheng.

The project of dismantlement and reconstruction of of a small building close to the central sanctuary which a had a dead tree on top of it is now over. Although it is small building several hundreds of number sandstone blocks are laying on the ground ready to be put together like a puzzle which gives an idea of the daunting task of the workers who worked in the temple in the 90’s.

The visitor center was completely dismantled in 2017 and a new one is under construction at the same location. The previous building hosted some interesting information panels about the restoration work of the 90’s as well as some large pictures.

A major conservation work is on pause on the east entrance by the Archaeological Survey of India for many years now aims at restoring two of the three towers.

Visit highlights

Preah Khan has many locations to explore, you should plan a 1 h 1/2 to 2 h to cross the temple from West to East especially if you are taking pictures. Among the highlights are the stupa at the central sanctuary, a linga with its yoni, the hall of dancers, the biggest strangler fig in Angkor beside the east gopura, the 2-story pavilion, the baray on the east leading to Neak Pean and Ta Som. If you want to see the secret chambers it is recommended to hire a guide as they are difficult to find.

Narrow passage between two chapels

Elderly nun ready to give blessing, she is 81 years old and a long time resident of the temple

Group of monks in with the double stories pavilion in the background

The two stories pavilion has an unique architecture in Angkor

Devata in a narrow corridor

Demon pulling the naga snake snake on the west causeway

strangler fig growing on a wall

REFLECTIONS

Flooded corridor during the monsoon season

Gopura with giant stone guardians

Apsara dancers ornements in the hall of dancers

Devata (Queen Indradevi)

Crumbling headless statue of an Asura

Hidden Devata (Queen Jayarajadevi)

Monk exiting a secret chamber

Buddha carving covered in moss

Hidden guardian with flowers offering

Preah Khan Jayatataka

One of the standing lion at the eastern gopura

Nature and sandstone intertwined

Beams of light of the forest

Hidden Devata

The biggest tree (Tetrameles nudiflora R.Br. Datiscaceae) in Preah Khan, facing west

The biggest tree of the temple growing on the eastern gopura

Unfortunately the beautiful tree above (Tetrameles nudiflora R.Br. Datiscaceae) has been cut in 2020 and now just a shadow if itself:(

Angkor Complete

Angkor Sunrise

10 Fun Facts to Know About Angkor Wat Temple

On July 24, 2017 / Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat temple, architectural masterpiece of the Khmer Empire, situated near Siem Reap in North-western Cambodia is one of the most visited temple in the world (more than 2 million visitors in 2016). Here are 10 fun facts below about Angkor Wat temple.

1. The central tower of Angkor Wat is aligned with sunrise twice a year in March and September during the winter and spring equinox.

angkor wat sunrise spring equinox photography tours

Angkor Wat sunrise Spring equinox (March 2016)

2. The artificial moat surrounding the temple provides stability to the structure by keeping constant the humidity of the sandy ground below.

3. Contrary to the other Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is facing West.

4. Angkor Wat counts about 1700 delicate carvings of topless celestial dancers called Devatas.

5. The first pictures of Angkor Wat were taken in 1866 by John Thomson.

6. Angkor Wat was during the 12th century the largest city on Earth with an estimated population of nearly 1,000,000.

7. Angkor Wat has four entrances but only the west and the east are accessible.

8. Angkor Wat was built as heaven on earth with its fives towers representing Mont Meru and its moat the ocean.

9. Since 2013, you can visit the entire temple complex of Angkor Wat from your smartphone using Google Street View.

10. Angkor Wat central sanctuary is made of an iron core (coming from laterite, a porous stone containing iron oxide).

Best Time to Visit Siem Reap and Take Photographs in Angkor Cambodia

On March 17, 2016 / Cambodia

Cambodia sits just about the equatorial zone where the weather is mostly warm to hot all year round. Just like all countries with tropical climates, there are only two seasons – the wet and the dry.

One of the recurring question among visitors and photographers is what is the best time to visit Siem Reap and Cambodia in general?

The dry season starts in October and ends in April and it usually lasts longer than the wet season. This is the time when scorching heat brought about by the northeast monsoon dries up the land turning the Cambodian countryside into spectacles of golden paddy fields and creating fine powdery white to tawny colored dusty dirt roads. There are cool months though, from November to January, which is also considered high season by many tour operators particularly in Siem Reap. Tourists flock the temples of Angkor at this time of the year as they make the most out of the cool weather without having to worry of being soaked in the rain. Around the months of January and March, hazy skies can be observed giving the sun a fiery red ball effect, perfect for capturing stunning sunset at the Angkor Thom moat as shown in the picture below.

Red ball sun over Angkor Thom moat in March

On the other hand, wet season runs from May to September caused by the southwest monsoon. It tends to rain most days of the week, generally heavy downpours that usually last for a few hours. There are days when the rain is quite light but it continues all day long. Wet season in Cambodia means low season for tourism in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. For tourists and photography enthusiasts, visiting during the wet season has its lovely perks. Aside from being less crowded, spectacular cloud formations and charming colors can be seen in the morning. The countryside looks more alive with lush foliage. The green scenery is quite striking amidst the drenched surroundings. The dusty dirt roads are now soggy mud pits and the meadows are flourishing with vegetation. The moats surrounding the temples are filled with water and there are pools of water everywhere ideal for taking reflection photos.

angkor wat temple causeway photography tours

Angkor Wat temple seen from the west causeway in September

Banteay Kdei with green pond in October

Bayon temple reflection photography tours

Bayon temple at dusk with water reflection

Some temples are putting up their green moss robe during the monsoon season as in Preah Khan and Ta Prohm temples. You can see more pictures of the temples of Angkor during the green season on our blog Cambodia Green Season.

Buddha carving moss preah khan angkor photography tours

Buddha carving covered in moss in Preah Khan temple in October

Sandstone moss Ta Prohm photography tours

Numbered sandstone block covered with moss in Ta Prohm temple in September

Sunrise and sunset intervals also change during the seasons. In January, sun rises the latest at around 6:30am while in June, sun rises the earliest at around 5:30am. While the sun sets earliest in January normally around 5:30pm and not later than 6:00pm, it sets relatively late in June at around 6:30pm. Sun path also varies with the seasons. Angkor Wat in particular is exposed to a very different light in the months of June and December: standing on the central causeway you will see the sun rising on the right side or left side of the temple respectively. You can see below the dramatic change in light at the northern corridor.

Devata carvings in Angkor Wat corridor in December

Devata carvings in Angkor Wat corridor lit up by the sun in June

Angkor Wat sunrise with temple reflection on the pond in October

Apart from the temples, the Cambodian countryside is changing drastically between the dry and the wet season with lotus and paddy fields appearing and disappearing from the landscape.

Farmer working on a paddy field in the Cambodian countryside in November

Lotus flowers pond in August

Each season has its advantages and disadvantages, nevertheless, if you are a photography aficionado, any season is a good season to visit Siem Reap and capture the beauty of Angkor.

Countryside landscape near Siem Reap Cambodia in September

To conclude, especially if you are a photographer, all year around is good to take pictures in Cambodia.

If you are heading to Cambodia soon and you are wondering about the weather in Siem Reap, you can have look at the live siem reap weather map below.

Apsaras and Devatas in the Temples of Angkor

On January 19, 2016 / blog

Apsaras are the ethereal, elegant and youthful beings dancing in celestial palaces while Devatas are beautiful standing young goddesses in elegant outfits. Images of Devatas and Apsaras are delicately carved in the sandstone of many Angkorian temples. If some of them did not stand the test of time and others were defaced (some of them can be seen in Preah Khan) many are still today beautifully preserved in Angkor Wat where about 1800 have been counted.

Apsaras and Devatas are fantastic photography subjects as they always look different in the direct sunlight of midday or the warmer light of sunrise and sunset. They can be seen in groups or alone so photographers can play with the depth of field to isolate one.

Pictures taken with wide or ultra wide angle also can give interesting perspectives as they come together in the frame even if far apart. In the first two photos below you can count 17 and 8 devatas respectively.

Close up shots reveal the intricate details and the true beauty of the carvings: devatas holding hands, touching their hairs, smiling showing their teeth or holding a bird.

There are still so many interesting details of apsaras and devatas waiting to be uncovered. If you want to see more , check out www.angkorphotographytours.com and book a photo discovery tour with us.