Phnom Bakheng Temple Siem Reap Cambodia
Phnom Bakheng Temple: east stairway
Phnom Bakheng Temple or Prasat Phnom Bakheng is one of the state temples in Angkor era. Nowadays Phnom Bakheng attracts more and more visitors by its best views of sunset on Phnom Bakheng onto Angkor area, especially the ancient Khmer reservoir , Baray Teuk Thla. Phnom Bakheng locates between Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, about 1300 m north of Angkor Wat and 400 m south of Angkor Thom.
The date of construction of Phnom Bakheng temple in Siem Reap is in late 9th century to beginning of 10th century by King Yasovarman I (889-915), son of Indravarman I (877-886), reigned after his father at Hariharalaya (present day Roluos area). Soon after his crowning ceremony, the capital city of Khmer Empire was moved to 13 km northwest of Hariharalaya. At there a new capital has been built and named as Yasodharapura, which is commonly known as Angkor, and Phnom Bakheng Temple was built as the state temple in the middle of his new capital city in 893 AD. The temple is dedicated to Shiva by housing a linga named Yasodharesvara in the central sanctuary in about 907 AD, before the construction is completed. Phnom Bakheng was abandoned after 928, until 968 it was rehabilitated by King Jayavarman V.
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