Preah Khan

Temple in Siem Reap

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Jakub Hałun

Preah Khan, originally known as Nagara Jayasri (the holy city of victory), is a grand and expansive temple complex located within Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap. Built in the 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII (1181–1218 AD), it was constructed to honor his father, who in turn built the nearby Ta Prohm to honor his mother. It remains one of the most significant and must-visit temples in Angkor.

Situated north of Angkor Thom, Preah Khan lies along a central axis that also connects the Jayatataka Baray, Neak Pean, and Ta Som, all of which were once hydraulically linked. More than just a temple, the 56-hectare site is believed to have been a royal city housing hundreds of wooden buildings for monks, students, and workers within its outer enclosure (700m x 800m). The smaller inner enclosure (165m x 215m) housed the main religious temple, likely reserved for royalty and their gurus.

Today, visitors can explore the third enclosure, which contains additional enclosures, as well as a labyrinth of chapels, courts, halls, and pavilions, all centered around a shrine aligned along the north-south and east-west axes.

Visiting Preah Khan

The temple is open from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, with a recommended visit duration of 1.5 to 2 hours. However, for those passionate about temples, there’s plenty to explore, and multiple visits are often rewarding as you continually discover new details.

The temple can be accessed via the West, North, or East gates, though the South gate is not accessible. The area around the West entrance has restaurants, drink stalls, and newly built restrooms. Upon entering through the west, you cross the moat and will find a visitor center, which provides useful background information about the site. Alternatively, entering through the East gate offers a traditional approach, with a long bollarded causeway leading to the Jayatataka Baray. This is where the king and his court would have sailed to the Neak Pean for its healing waters.

Highlights at Preah Khan

The temple is filled with remarkable features and hidden gems worth seeking out:

The jetty of the Jayatataka Baray and the processional way leading from the East gate.
Naga bridges with hidden bas-reliefs underneath.
The striking 2.5-meter tall stone garudas that line the outer wall.
The “firehouse” near the eastern entrance.
The stone Dvarapalas (guardians with swords) at the temple entrances.
The Hall of the Dancers and its elaborately carved pediments.
The unique narrowing doors leading towards the central sanctuary.
The central sanctuary and its impressive acoustics in the surrounding chambers.
The ornately carved eastern gopura wall.
The two-story round pillared structure, a rare feature in Khmer architecture, often referred to as the rice harvest prayer hall.
A bas-relief that some believe depicts a Queen, located in a hidden chamber west of the central north-south axis.
Restored structures in the north-west and south-west quarters, including the wall of ascetics on a small shrine.
The circular floral patterns found throughout the temple, often hiding carvings of mythical creatures, people, and animals.

Preah Khan offers a rich and varied experience for those willing to explore beyond the main temple and uncover its many secrets.

What to see at Preah Khan

The outer wall of Preah Khan is constructed of laterite and features 72 garudas holding nagas, spaced every 50 meters. Enclosed by a moat, the wall measures 800 by 700 meters and covers an area of 56 hectares (140 acres). To the east of the temple, the Jayatataka Baray (measuring 3.5 by 0.9 km) once provided boat access to the temple at Neak Pean in the center of the baray.

As is typical for Angkor temples, Preah Khan is oriented towards the east, making it the main entrance, though there are additional gates at each cardinal point. Each entrance is accessed via a causeway that spans the moat, featuring naga-carrying devas and asuras, similar to those at Angkor Thom. Often overlooked, these causeways also display bas-reliefs along their sides, which are sometimes submerged by water.

Inside the outermost (fourth) enclosure lies a vast forested area that once housed the city. Built of perishable materials, the city itself no longer survives, but archaeological discoveries have shed light on its past. Halfway along the path leading to the third enclosure, on the eastern side, is a Firehouse or Dharmasala/Vahnigriha, resembling the one at Ta Prohm.

The third enclosure, measuring 200 by 175 meters (656 by 574 feet), is marked by entrance pavilions (gopura) at each cardinal point. Each gopura is preceded by a small cruciform terrace, with entrances flanked by guardian lions and Naga balustrades. The main eastern entrance features a monumental terrace. The gopuras are notable for their impressive reliefs in the pediments and large sandstone Dvarapala guardians, especially at the west gopura.

Continuing west from the eastern gopura along the central axis, visitors encounter the Hall of Dancers, its walls adorned with Apsaras and dancers. Buddha images above the dancers’ niches were destroyed during the anti-Buddhist reaction under Jayavarman VIII.

To the north of the Hall of Dancers is a two-story structure with round columns, a rare architectural form at Angkor. Traces of similar buildings are found at Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei, leading some to speculate that this may have been the Harvest Prayer Hall. Nearby is a unique laterite platform, with stairs at the east and west ends flanked by guardian lions, possibly once housing the sacred sword, which gave Preah Khan its contemporary name.

The rest of the third enclosure contains ponds at each corner and satellite temples to the north, south, and west. While the main temple was Buddhist, the three satellite temples are dedicated to Shiva, past kings and queens, and Vishnu, respectively. Their pediments feature notable scenes: the northern temple depicts Vishnu reclining to the west and the Hindu trinity of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma to the east, while the western temple shows Krishna raising Mount Govardhana. Wandering through the halls, visitors can find the remains of a large standing Buddha, decorative lintels, and occasionally pediment reliefs, partially covered by later construction.

A courtyard connecting the Hall of Dancers and the wall of the second enclosure contains two libraries. The second eastern gopura projects into this courtyard and is one of the few Angkorian gopuras with significant internal decoration, featuring garudas at the corners of the cornices. Buddha images on the columns were later converted into hermits under Jayavarman VIII.

Between the second enclosure wall (85 by 76 meters) and the first enclosure wall (62 by 55 meters) on the eastern side are later additions that obscure some original decorations. The first enclosure is filled with ruinous buildings and divided by a cruciform gallery, almost entirely occupied by these later structures.

The gallery walls and the interior of the central sanctuary are covered with holes, believed to have been used for fixing bronze plates. Some of the outer halls show corrosion from metal pins, while the inner sanctuary has traces of stucco.

At the center of the central sanctuary is a stupa, whose purpose is debated—whether it replaced a statue of Lokesvara, was added under a later king in the 13th century, or even in the post-Angkorian period. Similar to those seen in Sri Lanka, some believe it was added after the reign of Jayavarman VII.

Adjacent to the central shrine is a hidden chamber featuring a special bas-relief of what is thought to be one of Jayavarman VII’s queens.

The Bridges, Moat, Outer Wall, and Garuda Walk

Often overlooked by visitors heading toward the temple’s interior, Preah Khan boasts impressive bridges, outer walls adorned with Garudas (mythical birds), and detailed gopuras (gates). After crossing the moat, look at each side of the bridge for hidden bas-reliefs, then take a walk along the outer wall and moat. Every 50 meters, you’ll encounter a Garuda statue, some restored, others in various states of decay. The corner Garudas are especially intriguing. The southern gate and bridge are rarely visited, offering a sense of untouched exploration, reminiscent of a “jungle find.”

Preah Khan’s History

Preah Khan was built to commemorate Jayavarman VII’s victory over the Chams in 1191. Interestingly, its modern name, meaning “holy sword”, derives from its original name, Nagara Jayasri (the holy city of victory). The site may have previously been home to the royal palaces of Yasovarman II and Tribhuvanadityavarman.

The temple’s foundation stele provides valuable insight into its history and administration. The main image of Avalokiteśvara, representing the king’s father, was dedicated in 1191, with the king’s mother previously commemorated in a similar manner at Ta Prohm. Over 430 deities had shrines at the site, with offerings of food, clothing, perfume, and even mosquito nets. The temple’s wealth included gold, silver, gems, 112,300 pearls, and a cow with gilded horns.

More than a temple, Preah Khan functioned as an institution that combined the roles of a city, temple, and Buddhist university. The stele also mentions that there were 97,840 attendants and servants, including 1,000 dancers and 1,000 teachers.

The Preah Khan appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Siem Reap!

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