Traveling alone, I set out with a Tuk Tuk driver to see a few of the outer temples.
My first stop was the temples of the Roluos Group. These are the earliest permanent structures of the Khmer empire, and mark a transition from brick monuments to stone. Most date from the 9th Century and were constructed under the rule of King Indravarman the first.
Preah Ko, or Sacred Ox, dates from the late 9th century, and is a shrine for the Hindu God Shiva. Unlike the later temples, Preah Ko was constructed with plaster. The best surviving plasterwork of the Roluos group temples can be found here. Stone lions guard the temple. Near, a stone ox lies complacently.
Continuing on, Lolei temple was next. Lolei is very similar in age and construction to Preah Ko. A major difference, however, is its crumbling state.
Construction workers were busy while children ran around the ruins. The temples looked in critical need of repair.
On a doorpost of a temple was a stone slab with sand-script writing on it. It was amazing how similar the ancient Sanskrit was to the modern Khmer script.
Adjacent to Lolei was a Buddhist monastery. I quickly stopped in before heading to the grandest of the Roluos Group, Bakong.
Bakong is a five-tier pyramid made of sandstone, with eight brick and sandstone plastered outer temples surrounding. A moat surrounds the entire complex. A monastery is also on this site, and monks can been seen walking amongst the ruins.
Stone elephants line one of the tiers of the pyramid. At the top, the views of the complex are great. In the central tower is a Buddhist shrine.
My first stop was the temples of the Roluos Group. These are the earliest permanent structures of the Khmer empire, and mark a transition from brick monuments to stone. Most date from the 9th Century and were constructed under the rule of King Indravarman the first.
Preah Ko, or Sacred Ox, dates from the late 9th century, and is a shrine for the Hindu God Shiva. Unlike the later temples, Preah Ko was constructed with plaster. The best surviving plasterwork of the Roluos group temples can be found here. Stone lions guard the temple. Near, a stone ox lies complacently.
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Construction workers were busy while children ran around the ruins. The temples looked in critical need of repair.
On a doorpost of a temple was a stone slab with sand-script writing on it. It was amazing how similar the ancient Sanskrit was to the modern Khmer script.
Adjacent to Lolei was a Buddhist monastery. I quickly stopped in before heading to the grandest of the Roluos Group, Bakong.
Bakong is a five-tier pyramid made of sandstone, with eight brick and sandstone plastered outer temples surrounding. A moat surrounds the entire complex. A monastery is also on this site, and monks can been seen walking amongst the ruins.
Stone elephants line one of the tiers of the pyramid. At the top, the views of the complex are great. In the central tower is a Buddhist shrine.
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| On top of Bakong |
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