Description
Preah Khan (of) Kampong Svay or Prasat Bakan
The archeological complex of Preah Khan (of) Kampong Svay (Khmer: ព្រះខ័ននៅកំពង់ស្វាយ) or Prasat Bakan (according to local pronunciation) or Bakan Svay Rolay is located 100 km east of Angkor, in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia. It stands as the largest single religious complex ever built during Angkorian Era, as its exterior enclosure is about 5 km square, even if the isolated location makes it one of less visited Angkorian sites. (Not to be confused with the temple of the same name at Angkor)
History
There is little historical data about Preah Khan Kompong Svay. French scholars argued it had been founded in the 11th century, probably by Suryavarman I. It was a royal residence during the kingdom of Suryavarman II and even Jayavarman VII lived here, before recapturing the capital city of Yasodharapura from invading Chams in 1181, and improved the complex.
Another possibility; the fortified settlement at Prasat Bakan was established in order to facilitate defending the iron ore mines of Phnom Deik, largest deposits of its kind in Southeast-Asia. A historical royal road with several bridge constructions connected Angkor with Prasat Bakan via Beng Mealea.
The rediscovery of the complex
After some French missions at the turn of the 19th century, Victor Goloubew in 1937 engaged in aerial surveys which revealed the real extension of the complex.
Many famous Khmer sculptures come from here, such as the putative head of Jayavarman VII which is exposed at the National Museum of Phnom Penh. The sculptures and carvings of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay are among the peaks of Khmer art and the temples have been widely sacked in the past by official expeditions, like Louis Delaporte's who shamefully looted and carried off a number of substantial carvings, whereas thieves have largely damaged many structures while looting sculptures and carvings from the second half of the 1990s.
The site
Preah Khan Kompong Svay covers an area about 5 kilometers square, is oriented to north-east and has four concentric enclosures. It was provided with water by a large baray (2.8 km by 750 m but almost completely dried at present), which crosses the eastern side. On an artificial island (mebon) in the middle of the baray there is Preah Thkol (Khmer: ព្រះថ្កោល), a cruciform temple in sandstone with a standing central tower. In the southeastern corner stand the remains of the 15 metres high pyramid of Preah Damrei, with laterite enclosure and two stone elephants (Damrei means elephant) at its upper corners. The other two elephants are exhibited at the National Museum of Phnom Penh and the Guimet Museum in Paris.
Inside the exterior enclosure, in the middle of the western side of baray, there is Prasat Preah Stung (Khmer: ព្រះស្ទឹង), with a peculiar four-faced central tower in Bayon style, which is preceded by a landing-stage with nāga balaustrades. A laterite causeway leads from here to a centric enclosure, 701 m by 1097 m, surrounded by a moat and endowed with four gopuras similar to Angkor Thom. Near the eastern gopura there is a dharmasala ('religious sanctuary' or rest-house for pilgrims,)
The inner laterite enclosure contains the central sanctuary that stands on a two-tier platform. The central tower collapsed because of a looting attempt in 2003. It has entrances in all cardinal directions and is rounded by a windowed gallery.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on September 1, 1992 in the Cultural category.
Visit
Location
The Bakan temples are located in Ta Siang village, Ronakse commune, Sangkum Thmei district, about 105 kilometers southwest of the provincial town on a plain that was a former worship place of the king. The temple is surrounded by two ramparts-one inner and one outer rampart. Inside each rampart, there are many other temples such as Neang Peou and Dangkao Baodos temples. The temple was likely a royal palace and worship place. According to some historians, the site used to be a hiding place of King Jayavarman VII before he ascended to the throne in AD 1181 because the style of some construction is similar to the style of Bayon and Ta Prohm temples.
Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts H.E. Khim Sarith says since the beginning of 2006 the Ministry has been cooperating with provincial authorities to set up a team to protect the temple. "However what makes this difficult are the current road conditions leading to the temple. During the rainy season we can’t even get into the area," Khim says. “I don’t suppose the looters have the same complaint”!
One masterpiece remains in the National Museum in Phnom Penh and that's a finely sculpted head, believed to be of Jayavarman VII. A millennium celebration at Preah Khan attracted hundreds of locals and vegetation was cleared from the site for the occasion, but it remains a complex very much in its natural state, inundated with trees, scrubs and dense foliage throughout.
Tours
Touring to see this temples complex will spend a full day and depart in early morning drive 150km for 2 hours from Siem Reap to Kompong Thom province, stop for breakfast or have some coffee in local restaurant then continue with 1 hour more to reach to see all the temples in Preah Khan Kompong Svay complex. After see the temple will drive back for lunch at local restaurant on the way, before back to Siem Reap province if have enough time will bring you to visit Sambor Prei Kuk temples complex, an ancient city that has about two hundred brick temples is located here in this province.
Note: This program can be flexible adopting your availabilities or mood, we open to your modification and customization. http://www.cambodiapickup.com/cambodia-pick-up-services/preak-khan-kompong-svay.html
Email: info@cambodiapickup.com Tel (+855) 12 520 908
Angkor Transport Services
Siem Reap: Banteay Srey and Preah Khan Temples Day Tour https://www.getyourguide.com/siem-reap-l274/banteay-srey-preah-khan-ta-som-pre-rup-day-tour-t39646/
How to get there
Prasat Bakan is situated 100 km east of Angkor, on the other side of Beng Mealea. The direct road is not passable during and shortly after the rainy season (but shall be improved soon). Usually visitors arrive from Kampong Thom, taking the main road to the north (to Preah Vihear), and after about 70 kilometres turn left taking the treck across the fields for another 30 kilometres.
(Share taxi/Pick-up/Motorbike):
To get into this remote province you have two possibilities, one is a packed laterite Major Road from Siem Reap via Anlong Veng, with a distance of over 200 km (completed in 2003).
The other access to Preah Vihear is from Kampong Thom via NH 64, which is about 155km South of Tbeng Meanchey. The last one is probably the easiest and fastest way to go to Tbeng Meanchey. Pick-ups go almost daily in the morning and noon to the provincial capital of Preah Vihear from Kampong Thom market ($2-4 depending if you're inside or on the back).
Note!
Land mines still remain a real danger in Preah Vihear although the temples itself and the access paths have been painstakingly cleared. Stay on the beaten trek, don't venture into any vegetation that has not been cleared recently, and heed the red warning signs, painted rocks and strings marking the limits of the demined area.
Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preah_Khan_Kompong_Svay
http://angkor-travels.com/html/prasatbakan.php
Address
Preah Vihear Province
Cambodja
Lat: 13.461905479 - Lng: 103.871864319
