Bakong Temple, Angkor
Bakong was completed around 881AD, making it much older than Angkor Wat. The Angkorian age only began when king Jayavarman II arrived from Java around 877. (By the way, I learned that there are scholars who disputed Java, claiming that Jayavarman II might have come from the Malay peninsula.) He settled twice at Hariharalaya, which was already an existing city at that time, before his investiture on Phnom Kulen (Mahendraparvata). It was there that the cult of the god kings or "Devaraja" was inaugurated. Jayavarman II died at Phnom Kulen in 850AD, after a reign of 48 years. His successors remained until Yasovarman founded the first Angkor kingdom centred on Phnom Bakheng.
Bakong is quite likely the first time that the Khmer people experimented with building a temple mountain, a type of step pyramid that is so similar to those in Mesoamerica. They created an artificial mound for the Bakong, and enclosed it with two enclosure walls, and surrounded the temple with a moat. This was to be the style of temple construction to last for the next 400 years.
View of Bakong with one of its brick towers in the foreground.
Many of the carvings on the lintels of Bakong are still in good shape. Like so many temples in Angkor, the Bakong has been renovated even during it sworking life, and the uppermost section may have been added as late as the 12th century.
Construction Period
Built around the late 9th Century (881)
by King Indravarman I (reigned 877-889)
How to reach the Bakong Temple
Bakong is part of the Roluos Group of temples, which are all located on the east side of Siem Reap. As they are not as spectacular as the sights within Angkor proper, they receive fewer tourists. If you are independently, get a tuk tuk driver who knows the way. From Siem Reap, take Route 6 for roughly 12.5km. Look for signpost on your right (southside). See picture taken by my online friend, Nic Boulton below:
The turning towards Preah Ko and Bakong from Route 6 (1February, 2010)
© Nick Boulton
Turn in and go for another 1.2km. On your way there, you will pass the ruins of Preah Ko on the right (westside). You should visit it too. Then the lane continues southwards until it reaches the north wall of Bakong, then it turns left (eastwards) to follow the moat, then right again (southwards) to take you to the main entrance of Bakong, which faces the east. Is my explanation confusing? Ah, just get a tuk tuk driver who knows the way! Alternatively,
The central sanctuary of Bakong as seen from one corner.
The central tower of the Bakong.
Ruins of one of the long halls.
A few of the brick towers around the central tower.
View of one of the prasats beside the temple mountain of Bakong.
West view of a prasat at Bakong shows a false door.
Tim with an elephant statue at Bakong.
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