Phnom Bakheng
Siem Reap (Angkor archaeological area), Cambodia
- Deities
- Shiva
- Traditions
- shaiva
- Worship status
- heritage
- Coordinates
- 13.42418, 103.85601
- Best time to visit
- November to February (cooler, dry season); the temple is especially popular near sunset for its hilltop views over the Angkor area, though this draws very large crowds.
- How to reach
- Atop a roughly 79-meter hill within the Angkor archaeological park near Siem Reap, Cambodia; reachable by a hillside path or shuttle as part of a wider tour of the Angkor complex.
Location
Open in Google MapsPhnom Bakheng, completed between 889 and 910 CE under King Yasovarman I, was the central temple-mountain of Yasodharapura, the new Khmer capital Yasovarman established atop and around this roughly 79-meter hill — predating the far more famous Angkor Wat, already documented separately in this directory, by more than two centuries. Dedicated to Shiva, its stepped pyramid of seven levels was designed to represent Mount Meru, the mythical home of the Hindu gods, with each level symbolizing one of the seven heavens of Hindu-Buddhist cosmology.
Today Phnom Bakheng functions primarily as a heritage and archaeological site rather than an active place of worship, and has become one of the Angkor complex’s most visited spots, particularly at sunset, when its hilltop position offers sweeping views across the wider Angkor area. This popularity has placed significant strain on the ancient structure, and the World Monuments Fund has worked in partnership with Cambodia’s APSARA conservation authority since 2004 to protect it from the effects of heavy foot traffic.
Sources
- historical record: Cross-checked against Wikipedia's account of Phnom Bakheng during this research pass: confirms the temple is dedicated to Shiva and was completed 889-910 CE during the reign of King Yasovarman I, atop a 79-meter hill; confirms it represents Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods, in a stepped pyramid form of seven levels representing the seven heavens; confirms it served as the central architectural feature of Yasovarman's new capital, Yasodharapura, predating Angkor Wat (already documented separately in this directory) by more than two centuries; confirms it functions today primarily as a heritage and tourist site, popular for sunset views, with the World Monuments Fund working since 2004 in partnership with the APSARA Authority on conservation given heavy visitor pressure; infobox coordinates given as 13.42418°N 103.85601°E.
For review
- Like Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei, and Preah Vihear Temple, already documented in this directory, Phnom Bakheng functions today as an archaeological and heritage site rather than an active place of Hindu worship; it is included here for its documented Shaiva dedication and its significance as Angkor's earliest major hilltop temple-mountain.
- Heavy tourist visitation, concentrated around sunset viewing, has made Phnom Bakheng one of the most physically threatened monuments in the Angkor complex; this entry does not attempt to detail current visitor-management restrictions, which may change over time.