Preah Ko Temple

Preah Ko Temple is a scenic temple in the Roulos group, a 25 minute tuk-tuk ride away from Siem Reap town. A visit to the temple can easily be combined with the other main temples of the Roulos Group, Bakong and Lolei to make an interesting half day excursion from Siem Reap.

Built in 879AD as a place of worship for the Hindu God Shiva, the temple is believed to have been built by Indravarman, a strong and well-respected king. The site is believed to have acted as a funerary temple for the Khmer Royal Family. It was the first temple to be built in the ancient city of Hariharalaya (now located near the modern town of Roulos), a city that in its heyday traded with countries as far away as Indonesia and China.

Today what remains are six small brick towers in two rows of three on a sandstone base. There are a handful of outlying buildings in various states of decay. Each of the towers is dedicated to one of Indravarman’s ancestors, including Jayavarman II, considered to be the father of the Khmer empire. The temple was also home to one of the first libraries built during the Angkor era.

The name Preah Ko means “Sacred Bull” and derives from the lifelike statues of bulls, which adorn the front of the central towers.

Preah Ko Temple is an impressive place to see, a photographic paradise and well worth taking the time to visit. It is still an active site, where citizens engage in daily worship. During the wet season it's a delight to watch the local children splash in large puddles that accumulate around the temple grounds.

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The images used in this article are licensed from "www.photodharma.net - The Roulos Group" by Anandajoti Bhikkhu under CC BY-SA 3.0.