Bakong

About this place

Bakong is a stepped-pyramid temple-mountain at Roluos, southeast of Siem Reap. A sandstone tower crowns a series of terraces, small red-brick towers stand around it, a moat and green lawns surround it, and stone lions guard the stairs. It is the earliest sandstone temple-mountain built by the Khmers, raised in the late 9th century as the state temple of King Indravarman I in his capital Hariharalaya, today's Roluos. Its gateways and stairs closely resemble Borobudur in Java, which probably inspired it. The site measures about 900 by 700 m, with three nested enclosures separated by two moats, standing for the oceans and mountains around Mount Meru. You cross the moat, pass the brick towers and climb the terraces to the tower at the top, looking out over the countryside and palms. It is far quieter than the great temples of Angkor. The temple is about 13 km in a straight line southeast of central Siem Reap, and you can combine it with the other Roluos temples in half a day. Temples are sacred places, so cover your shoulders and knees, and do not climb on carved stone.