Preah Vihear (Preah means sacred, Vihear means shrine) is a Khmer temple situated atop a 525 meter (1,722 ft) cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, on the border between Cambodia and Thailand. It has the most spectacular setting of all the Khmer temples. Most of the temple was constructed in the 11th and 12th century during the reigns of the Khmer kings Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II. The temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in his manifestations as the mountain gods Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. Preah Vihear is the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia and several soldiers were killed in clashes in 2009.
The Temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases over an 800 meter long axis and dates back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Construction of the first temple on the site began in the early 9th century.
The front stone stairway : this main passage is on the North side. The stairway is 8 meters wide and 78 meters long. The fist flight has 162 steps. At the first landing there is a large stone singa statue on stone block. Another 54 flight of steps 4 meters wide and 27 meters long leads up to the second landing also decorated with stone singa statue.
The Nagaraj Courtyard : this stone-paved is 7 meters wide and 31.8 meters long. From here the stairway leads up to the first-level Gropura. The Stair heads are in the form of seven-headed snakes called "Ngu Suang" facing North towards the Prasat. The heads and tails of nagas on both sides look like ordinary snakes, characterizing and early example of this type of animal figures. The head portion of the naga on the west side looks very impressive because it is made from a single solid stone.
The first level Gopura : this is a pavilion in Greek architecture style with cross plan on an elevated, rebates angle base on each of the roof doorway. Stone lions are placed on each of the roofs doorway.
An inscription found at the temple provides a detailed account of Suryavarman II studying sacred rituals, celebrating religious festivals and making gifts, including white parasols, golden bowls and elephants to his spiritual adviser, the aged Brahmin Divakarapandita. The Brahmin himself took an interest in the temple, according to the inscription, donating to it a golden statue of a dancing Shiva known as "Nataraja". In the wake of the decline of Hinduism in the region the site was converted to use by Buddhists.
Under the Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1904 and 1907, the line of frontier between Cambodia and Thai along the Dongrak Mountains followed justice at the Hague officially found that the Preah Vihear Temple situated inside the Cambodia territory. The conflict between Cambodia and Thailand over land adjoining the site has led to periodic outbreaks of violence.
The Temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases over an 800 meter long axis and dates back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Construction of the first temple on the site began in the early 9th century.
The front stone stairway : this main passage is on the North side. The stairway is 8 meters wide and 78 meters long. The fist flight has 162 steps. At the first landing there is a large stone singa statue on stone block. Another 54 flight of steps 4 meters wide and 27 meters long leads up to the second landing also decorated with stone singa statue.
The Nagaraj Courtyard : this stone-paved is 7 meters wide and 31.8 meters long. From here the stairway leads up to the first-level Gropura. The Stair heads are in the form of seven-headed snakes called "Ngu Suang" facing North towards the Prasat. The heads and tails of nagas on both sides look like ordinary snakes, characterizing and early example of this type of animal figures. The head portion of the naga on the west side looks very impressive because it is made from a single solid stone.
The first level Gopura : this is a pavilion in Greek architecture style with cross plan on an elevated, rebates angle base on each of the roof doorway. Stone lions are placed on each of the roofs doorway.
An inscription found at the temple provides a detailed account of Suryavarman II studying sacred rituals, celebrating religious festivals and making gifts, including white parasols, golden bowls and elephants to his spiritual adviser, the aged Brahmin Divakarapandita. The Brahmin himself took an interest in the temple, according to the inscription, donating to it a golden statue of a dancing Shiva known as "Nataraja". In the wake of the decline of Hinduism in the region the site was converted to use by Buddhists.
Under the Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1904 and 1907, the line of frontier between Cambodia and Thai along the Dongrak Mountains followed justice at the Hague officially found that the Preah Vihear Temple situated inside the Cambodia territory. The conflict between Cambodia and Thailand over land adjoining the site has led to periodic outbreaks of violence.
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