East Mebon Temple, Siem Reap

Buddhist Temple near Siem Reap

CC BY-SA 1.0 / Gary Todd

The East Mebon is a 10th-century temple built during King Rajendravarman’s reign (944-968 AD), positioned at the center of the vast Yasodharatataka Baray reservoir. Known today as the East Baray, this reservoir has long been dry, but in its prime, the temple would have appeared as an island accessible only by boat, with its reflection shimmering across the water.

Visiting East Mebon

East Mebon is easy to access, with only a few steps to ascend, and it offers many highlights, including beautiful stone carvings of elephants and lions, along with a remarkable collection of unique and well-preserved lintels. The temple is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, and visitors typically spend about 40 minutes here, though you may want to stay longer to appreciate the intricate lintels. There are food and drink stalls near the entrance, and entry is included with the Angkor Pass as part of the Grand Circuit.

In 1922, a stele discovered by Henri Marchal in the eastern gopura provided the foundation date of the temple (952 AD) and a tribute to King Rajendravarman, detailing his contributions to temple construction and the installation of various idols, including Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu with Brahma, and eight lingas.

Originally built on an island within the Yasodharatataka Baray (spanning 7 km by 1.8 km), the temple aligns along an east-west axis with the East Baray Terrace, Victory Gate, and the Royal Palace of Angkor Thom, and along a north-south axis with Pre Rup to the south.

Layout

The temple complex measures about 100 by 100 meters, with entry staircases at each cardinal point flanked by guardian lions. Stone elephants adorn each corner of the first and second tiers. Inside the outer laterite enclosure wall, accessed through cruciform-shaped gopuras (entrance gates), is a series of long halls of varying lengths. The next tier also has staircases leading to another enclosure wall with additional gopuras.

Within this enclosure are eight brick shrines flanking the gopura, along with five rectangular laterite structures, three of which open to the west (commonly referred to as “libraries”), while the others open to the east. Each structure features sandstone doorframes, ornate door columns, and beautifully carved lintels.

The upper tier, made of sandstone, serves as the platform for five central towers, each reached by staircases flanked by guardian lions. These towers are constructed from brick, while laterite and sandstone are used for the base and doorframes. The doorways are flanked by intricately decorated columns, topped with lintels, and adorned with devata figures carved into the brickwork. Notably, the small holes in the brickwork would have supported a stucco finish, traces of which can still be seen in certain areas.

It is believed that the central tower once held a linga, while the southeast tower housed an image of Brahma (evident from the round pedestal inside on a lower tier), with the contents of the other towers remaining uncertain. Dr. Sophia Baird has proposed a hypothesis on these, as noted in the references below.

Don’t miss the beautiful sandstone offering table near the northern gopura. Additionally, in one of the shrines, an image of the Buddha has been added.

What Other Travellers Say...

Reviews Summary

4.6 (2,171)

Eastern Mebon Temple, located in Krong Siem Reap, is a circa‑10th‑century sandstone temple known for intricate carvings, tiered pyramid terraces and prominent elephant statues at the corners; visitors describe it as a peaceful, open site worth adding to an Angkor itinerary if you have time, a pleasant place to sit and watch the surroundings, and enjoyable even in light rain, with nearby vendors where you can rest or grab lunch.

Vira Tum

2 months ago

"Very good to explore this temple as it is not too far from other temples in Angkor Wat compound. East Mebon is a mountain temple which was built inthe middle of the 10th century. It was built by King Rajendravarman II and dedicated to Shiva. This temple (Mebon) is a pyramid of terraces with stu ing sculptures and statues, including the 2m high elephants which sit on each corner. Although not as popular as the main temples (Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm), it is a widely visited temple and one that you should definitely make time for during your visit to Siem Reap...."

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Greg Ochylski

2 months ago

"I like the elephants at the corners even though they have been repaired and the concrete or whatever doesn't quite match the original sandstone whichwould have been fairly easy to achieve using concrete tints, but maybe these weren't available at the time, just being picky, it's of no consequence. I like the way it's out in the open, because it's a nice place to sit and watch the world go by. I agree that it's not on the list of ""must see" temples, but it's a place to see if you have some time, and the vendors across the street are a nice place to relax and have lunch and talk to the ladies, beware of this during the off season for tourists, or you might come away with a lot of extra stuff, especially if you like to bargain...."

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Soy Vanrita (Rita)

a month ago

"🌧️✨ Walking around East Mebon in the gentle rain felt like stepping into a dream. It reminded me of my childhood, playing freely in the rain, withthe world feeling peaceful and playful again. 🐘 The massive elephant statues looked both majestic and friendly — quiet guardians that seemed to protect me and even join in the fun. I felt safe, joyful, and completely co ected to the magic of this place. That’s why we say: “Life hurts, Siem Reap heals. No more heavy heart 💗”..."

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The East Mebon Temple appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Siem Reap!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

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