History Of Temples
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The Roluos groupLocation: Roluos, some 13 km east of Siem Reap
Date: 9th century
Religion: Hindu
The Roluos group of monuments comprises of Prah Ko, Lolei and the Bakong temple. The buildings here are among the oldest to be found in the area. It is believed that the the capital was founded here before it moved to the area near Phnom Bakheng and (much later) Angkor Thom.
The lay-out of Prah Ko consists of four enclosing walls from which only parts of the inner two and the entrance tower remain. The six towers of the central sanctuary are built from brick with sandstone lintels and balusters. The towers were originally covered with a light-coloured plaster of which little remains today. The lintels (the large stones above the doors) are beautifully carved.
Prah Ko
restoration Prah Ko
Prah Ko side view
Lolei
In 1997 restoration of Prah Ko was undertaken. This will probably last until 1999.A little north of Prah Ko and the Bakong you can find the small temple of Lolei. (picture above right and below) It consists of four towers in a declining state. As the brick is relatively soft plants flourish on them. Still a miracle that they stand after a thousand years of wind and weather.
The temple originally was an island in the middle of a baray (water basin) some 3800 by 800 metres, now dry.
Pre Rup was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, and it is probably located on a former shivaite ashram, built by Yasovarman I in the previous century. Perhaps it was standing at the centre of a new capital city built by Rajendravarman, with the southern dike of East Baray as northern city limit, but nothing of the dwellings survived and this "eastern city hypothesis" by Philippe Stern was never confirmed by archeological discoveries.
Located just south of the East Baray, or eastern reservoir, Pre Rup is aligned on a north-south axis with the East Mebon temple, which is located on what was an artificial island in the baray. The East Mebon was also a creation of the reign of Rajendravarman.
Pre Rup's extensive laterite and brick give it a pleasing reddish tone that is heightened by early morning and late afternoon sunlight. The temple has a square lay-out and two perimeter walls. The outer enclosure is a platform bounded by a laterite wall, 117 meters N-S by 127 meters E-W. A laterite causeway gives entry from the east; unfortunately, a modern road cuts across it. The four external gopuras are cross-shaped, having a central brick section (consisting of three rooms flanked by two independent passageways) and a sandstone vestibule on both sides. To either side inside the eastern gate is a group of three towers aligned north to south. One of the towers appears to have never been built or to have been dismantled later, however they are later additions, probably by Jayavarman V. Further ahead, through another gate, libraries lie to either side of the walkway on the second platform. Just before the entrance there is a stone "cistern", but scholars believe it was a basement for a Nandi bronze statue rather than being used for cremation ceremonies.
There is also a series of long distinct galleries running along each side, a distinctive feature of 10th century architecture that would be substituted by a continuous gallery from Ta Keo onward.
The terminal pyramid of Pre Rup (with the "cistern" foreground).
The final squared pyramid, measuring 50 m at its base, rises in three steep tiers a dozen metres in height to a 35 m square platform at the summit. The lowest tier is simmetrically surrounded by 12 small shrines. At the top, five towers are arranged in a quincunx, one at each corner of the square and one in the center. Deities carved as bas-reliefs stand guard at either side of the central tower’s eastern door; its other doors are false doors. The southwest tower once contained a statue of Lakshmi, the northwest tower a statue of Uma, the southeast tower a statue of Vishnu and the northeast tower a statue of Shiva. The last one has an inscription on door jambs that dates from Jayavarman VI and is the only proof of his reign at Angkor.
TA KEO (Angko site)
Built between 968 and 1001, this temple of more than 50 m of height is the first one of Angkor, built completely for Wills. The decorations were never finished because carving in wills was very hard. This temple is typical Angkor's " temples-mountains ".
This temple the king built not ready was abandon in the forest long time ago because the middle tower was broken.
