Phnom Bakheng (Bakheng Mountain )

As the state temple of the first city at Angkor , Phnom Bakheng has a special important, even thought many of its buildings are in poor condition. Its was to here that Yasorvarman  I moved his capital from Rolous ,13 km southeast of siem reap . The city call Yasodharapura  was 4km square( larger than the later  Angkor Thom) and enclose by an earth bank, Its was centered on the isolated hill of Phnom Bakheng.

            With some important differences , Bakheng imitates the temple of Bakong at Rolous , built some two decades earlier a pyramid of ascending square terrace surrounded by subsidiary sanctuary towers. Work began at end of the 9^th century. The Linga of the central  shrine was dedicated in about 907, but building continue after that the name of divinity and of the temple was Yasodharesvara the Lord of (the one) who Bears Glory It was abandon after 928, but briefly rehabilitated  in about 968 by Jayavarman V.

Plan :

There was an outer enclosure surroundings the hill in the form of a rectangular moat 650x436m parts of its earth bank survive. At the foot of the hill were four gopuras in brick and laterite at the cardinal points , some of their foundation can still be traced.

Stairways lead up from the East , North and West gopuras, though oddly not the South there many  not have been enough time to complete all four. The East entrance was the principle one, and at the foot of the staircase are the remains of two large guardian lions.

            The temple itself occupies the summit ,which was first substantially leveled leaving a pyramid of rock in the center from which the terraces were cut. In addition the core of the temple has been carved as a stepped pyramid from the hill itself as can be seen from the southeast side, the 13m high pyramid  set back slightly to the west in the enclosure is made of five terraces the lowers of which is 76m square, the topmost 47m square, around the base of the pyramid are 44 brick towers in groups of 2,3 and 4. On the terrace of the pyramid above are another 60 tiny towers sandstone, arranged symmetrically, pairs flanking each stairways and one on each corner of each terrace. On the summit itself was a quincunx of towers built on low platform, 1.60m high, 31m square and set back slightly to the west, Thus in total there are 108 towers plus one , the principle tower , which subsumes the rest, The number 108 is considered sacred according in Hindu and indeed , Buddhist cosmogony.   

Visit

Begin the ascent from the east side, at the foot of the hill, close to the road, As you reach  the top of the staircase you can appreciate the extent of leveling that the builders undertook in front of you is a wide open space crossed by a broad pathway some 100 long, This space was perhaps occupied by dwellings there would have been a substantial 

Number because of the Bakheng’s many shrines to be tended. In the middle of the east gopura of the inner enclosure, 190x120m originally walled in later rite. For those wishing to make a more leisurely ascent rather than straight up the steep steps there is on the south side slightly left of the steps a winding path referred to by the Khmer as the elephant path.

The elongated proportions of this enclosure were dictated by the oval plan of the hill and the north and south gopura are noticeably squeezed  up to the base of the pyramid. To your left and right are two libraries which as usual open to the west but also have secondary east entrances , their side walls are pierced with small diamond shaped holes. The pyramid with its 60 small shrines arranged symmetrically around all of the five levels rises in front of you, The builders enhances the impression  of its height by manipulating perspective the elevation of each terrace is less than that of the one below, and the size of the lions which flank the four staircases also decreases.

            At the summit all that remain of the towers is the shell of the central one and some ruins. The central tower of this group of five was the largest but little now remains, Note however its fine carving of full bodied devatas, An attempt in the 16^th century to build a large seated Buddha used most of sandstone blocks from these central five tower  and this largely accounts for their present conditions the northeast and southeast towers are in ruins and the northwest and southwest tower are completely gone.

           The view from the summit is magnificent particularly of Angkor wat to the southeast and is popular at sunset, Further to your right south is the hill of Phnom Krom, 16km distant on the shores of the Tonle Sap , There are prominent hills of the area Phnom Bakheng  , Phnom Krom and Phnom Bok 14km west northwest were all crowned with temple at around the same time. Over the west are the water of the west Baray the islet in the middle depending on the level of the water is west Mebon. The east edge of the Baray closet to where you are standing was mad from part of the west earth wall of the city of Yasodharapura the work was done in the 11^th century.