Cambodia Temple of Preah Vihear in Svay Chrum Village
The Temple of Preah Vihear is located in Svay Chrum Village on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases over 800 meter long axis. it dates back to the first half of the 11th century AD. The complex history of the temple can be traced back to the 9th century when the hermitage was founded. This site is particularly well preserved due mainly to its remote location. The temple’s architecture is exceptional and is adapted to the natural environment and the religious function of the temple.
Preah Vihear is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture. It is very ‘pure’ both in plan and in the detail of its decoration. It affords the view for many kilometers across a plain and has the most spectacular setting of all temples built during the six-century long Khmer empire. As a key edifice of the empire’s spiritual life, it was supported and modified by successive kings and so bears elements of several architectural styles. Preah Vihear is unusual among Khmer temples in being constructed along a long north-south axis, rather than having the conventional rectangular plan with orientation toward the east.
Construction of the first temple on the site began in the early 9th century. It was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in his manifestations as the mountain gods Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. 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 advisor, the aged Brahman Divakarapandita. The Brahman himself took an interest in the temple, according to the inscription, donating to it a golden statue of a dancing Shiva.
The Temple of Preah Vihear sits atop a cliff in the Dangrek Mountains which straddle the border between Thailand and Cambodia. During different periods it has been located in Cambodia and Thailand in turn. After the Cambodian independence and the 1962 ruling, the temple officially belongs to Cambodia. The templle is 280 kilometers from Angkor Wat and 296 from Phnom Penh.