|
The Roluos Group Roluos is the site of the ancient center of the Khmer civilization known as Hariharilaya. Almost 50 years after Jayavarman II first established the independent kingdom of Kambuja on Mount Kulen in 802 A.D., his capital moved to Hariharalaya.
Jayavarman II died at Roluos in about 850 A.D. but it is likely his successors remained there until Yasovarman I moved the capital to Yasodharapura (Angkor) in around 905 A.D. Phnom Bakheng was the first temple built at Angkor and was Yasovarman’s state temple. The Roluos group dates from the late 9th century and is the earliest site of the 600-year Angkorian Period that is open to visitors. The three temples in this important group, Bakong, Lolei and Pre Ko, have similar architectural characteristics, decoration and construction methods. They are well worth visiting to gauge the advances in classical Khmer art and to put Khmer later monuments in their proper context.
|
Banteay Srey temple
Banteay Srei (AD 967) – Rosy red temple with beautiful carvings of female divinities. Banteay means a fortress or citadel. It has been applied to temples because of their encircling walls.
Banteay Srei is built of Laterite, a basic building material from red residual soil in humid tropical and subtropical regions that is leached of soluble minerals abundant in Cambodia and north-eastern Thailand. The rock has a porous texture but becomes extremely hard over time in contact with the air, thus making a substantial and lightweight building material. IT is located about 37 km from Siem Reap and is a lovely drive through country villages, rice paddies and palm sugar farms.
If you decide to visit Banteay Srey you might consider combining the trip with a visit to Kbal Spean or the recently relocated Land Mine Museum, both of which are accessible from Banteay Srey.
|
|
Bakong temple
The Bakong is the principal temple in the Roluos Group, a collection of temples 13km east of Siem Reap that formed Harihiralaya, one of the early capitals of the Khmer Empire. The Bakong was constructed in around 881, during the reign of Indavaraman I, and provides a good example of early Khmer temple design and decoration.
|
East Mebon temple
East Mebon was built in the late 10th century on an island in the middle of the East Baray and it was dedicated to Shiva in honour of the King's parents.
West Mebon temple
West Mebon was built in the late 11th century. West Mebon are basically ruins on an island on the West Baray where it once stood. You can visit West Mebon by boat on a visit to the West Baray.
Wat Athvea
Wat Athvea was built in the late 11th century. Wat Athvea is not in the main temple area but around 8km south of Siem Reap and is a quite a good place to see the sunset.
|
Preah Ko temple
Preah Ko was the first temple built by Indravarman I at Harihiralaya. It was dedicated in 880. The front three towers are dedicated to Indravarman’s predecessors and the rear three towers to the respective queens of these rulers.
|
|
|