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Tourist Spot

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Preah Khan Temple is a huge, highly explorable monastic complex. Full of carvings, passages and photo opportunities. It originally served as a Buddhist monastery and school, engaging over 1000 monks. For a short period it was also the residence of King Jayavarman VII during the reconstruction of his permanent home in .

Neak Poan Temple

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A small island temple located in the middle of the last baray (the Preah Khan Baray or Jayatataka) to be constructed by a Khmer king in the Angkor area. The central temple sits at the axis of a cross or lotus pattern of eight pools. Originally known as Rajasri, took its modern appellation, which means ‘coiled serpents,’ from the encoiled nagas that encircled the temple. The temple is faced by a statue of the

horse, Balaha, saving drowning sailors. Though originally dedicated to Buddha, Neak Pean contains several Hindu images.

Phimeanakas Temple Impressive and sandstone pyramid. The lack of surviving carvings leaves it artistically uninteresting, but it is the tallest scalable temple in Angkor Thom, providing a nice view from the top. The western staircase (at the back) is the most easily ascended. Located inside the ancient Royal Palace compound, served as the king’s temple. Legend has it that the golden tower crowned the temple and was inhabited by a serpent, which would transform into a woman. The kings of Angkor were required to make love with the serpent every night, lest disaster befall him or the kingdom.

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Thommanon Temple Small, attractive temple in very good condition, built at the same time as . The Angkor Wat style is most easily seen in the style of the towers and carved devatas. seems to stand in conjunction with across the street, but was built decades earlier. Thommanon is currently in much better condition than

Chau Say Tevoda, in part because archaeologists heavily restored it in the 1960's.

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Ta Som Temple Small, classic -style monastic complex consisting of a relatively flat enclosure, face tower gopuras and cruciform interior sanctuaries much like a miniature version of . Many of the carvings are in good condition and display particularly fine execution for late 12th century works. Take

note of the devata carvings which show an uncommon individuality.

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East Mebon Temple

East Mebon is a large temple-mountain-like ruin, rising three levels and crowned by five towers. Jayavarman IV, a usurper to the throne, moved the capital from Angkor to in 928AD. Sixteen years later Rajendravarman II returned the capital to Angkor and shortly thereafter constructed East Mebon on an

island in the middle of the now dry Eastern Baray. The temple is dedicated to in honor of the king’s parents. Inscriptions indicate that it was also built to help reestablish the continuity of kingship at Angkor in light of the interruption that occurred when the seat of power had been moved to Koh Ker.

Pre Rup Temple Architecturally and artistically superior temple-mountain. Beautifully carved false doors on upper level, as well as an excellent view of the surrounding countryside. Richly detailed, well-preserved carvings. Traditionally believed to be a funerary temple, but in fact the state temple of Rajendravarman II.

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Historically important in that it was the second temple built after the capital was returned to Angkor from Koh Ker after a period of political upheaval.

Ta Kao Temple Towering but plainly decorated temple-mountain dedicated to Shiva. Known in its time as ‘the mountain with golden peaks.’ The first to be constructed wholly of sandstone, this temple employing huge sandstone blocks. Constructed under three kings, begun by Jayavarman V as his state-temple and continued under Jayaviravarman and Suryavarman I.

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Banteay Kdei Temple Sprawling, largely unrestored, monastic complex in much the same style as Ta Prohm. It was originally constructed over the site of an earlier temple, and functioned as a Buddhist monastery under Jayavarman VII. As with other works of Jayavarman VII's era, it is a tightly packed architectural muddle,

which like Bayon, suffered from several changes in the plans at the time of construction. It was also built using an inferior grade of sandstone and using poor construction techniques, leading to much of the deterioration visible today.

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Sra Srang Picturesque artificial lake opposite the east entrance of . The remains of a temple can be seen in the middle of the lake when the water is low. It is an excellent sunrise & sunset alternative to Angkor Wat and .

Kravann Temple

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East-facing brick towers containing unique bas-reliefs of Vishnu and Lakshmi rendered in brick - the only example of brick bas-reliefs in the Angkor area. was originally constructed by noblemen rather than a king and has a twin sister in Takeo Province south of Phnom Penh, Prasat Neang Khmau, which contained painting rather than bas-reliefs, some of which still survives.

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Banteay Srey Temple Built by King Rajendravarman and Jayavarman V at the late of 10th century and dedicated to Brahmanism. This early temple is considered to display some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art the walls are densely covered with some of the most beautiful and intricate carvings of any Angkorian temple the temple’s relatively small size, pink sandstone construction and

ornate design give it a fairyland ambiance 26km from but is well worth the extra tome to get there.

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