The fallen towers
Sandstone on the platform.
Clemens Schmillen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Clemens Schmillen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Clemens Schmillen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sovichet Tep — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Stefan Fussan — CC BY-SA 3.0
Wat Ek Phnom is an 11th-century Angkorian temple near Battambang in north-western Cambodia. Although partly collapsed, it is famous for its fine stone carving over the doorways and on the lintels. It makes a calm short trip into the countryside, with a modern Buddhist pagoda next door that people visit for outings and on special occasions. It was built as a Hindu temple under King Suryavarman I, of sandstone blocks, enclosed by a laterite wall and a reservoir. It stands on a platform with small towers. Looting and collapse have taken their toll over time, but the surviving lintels and pediments are among the finest in the area, drawing those interested in Khmer art. You climb tilted stones to a platform topped with half-fallen towers, with fine plant and figure decoration above the doors. Large trees shade the site, and sunlight filters through them in the morning. Close by stands the modern pagoda with its gold and coloured roofs, making a strong contrast between old and new. It is about 7 km in a straight line from Battambang, and Wikipedia gives about 9 km, so take a bicycle or tuk-tuk along the river road, a pleasant rural route. Half an hour is enough. Cover your shoulders and knees, watch for loose stones and do not climb the collapsed buildings.
Sandstone on the platform.
Decoration above the doors.
A rural ride from town.
North of Battambang on the Sangkae River, Cambodia
Half an hour is enough for the ruins, a little more with the modern pagoda beside it.
By bicycle or tuk-tuk from Battambang along the rural river road.