Bakong, A Timeless Monument of Worship and Wonder

Bakong, Causeway, Lolei, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The largest temple in the Rolous Group of buildings

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Introduction

Bakong Temple is one of the largest, most important, and most interesting temples in the Roluos Group. It used to be a large temple in the city center, dedicated to Shiva and Linga, representing the sacred mountain and serving as the central temple of the city. The eastern part of the temple includes a five-tiered central tower made of sandstone, with a 60-meter square base, eight brick and sandstone mixed structure stupas on the sides, and two small shrines. Many of the original gypsum reliefs are still partially preserved in the eight stupas beneath the central tower. The temple is surrounded by three concentric walls and a moat. Each corner of the first three levels of the central temple has well-preserved stone statues, and there are a total of 12 pagodas on the third level, with 4 in each direction, and the sanctum is located on the fifth level. Bakong Temple was later expanded and belongs to the same style as the central tower of Angkor Wat, similar to the architecture of Indonesia's Borobudur. To the north of the entrance on the east side of Bakong Temple is a Buddhist monastery.