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Koh Ker(Khmer: ប្រាសាទ កោះ កេរ) is in the north of Cambodia, about 120 km northeast of Siem Reap in a jungle region. One of the largest temple areas in the Khmer Empire is located in Koh Ker. Over 180 sanctuaries have so far been discovered on an area of around 81 km², but only a part of them is accessible. What is fascinating is that none of the monuments has been restored and many of them like Ta Prohm or Preah Khan in the Angkor Archaeological Park, overgrown by roots. The most important temples have only been freed from the jungle plants' clasps so that they can be entered. Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928-944 under the kings Jayavarman IV and Harshavarman II.
Until 2004 you could only get to Koh Ker with great effort. Thanks to a newly built road, the place can now be reached relatively easily in a day trip from Siem Reap or Tbeng Meanchey. But even today hardly more than a few dozen tourists are likely to visit Koh Ker every day.
At least two to three hours should be planned for the visit, one for the main monuments Prasat Thom and Prang, one or two more for the temples on the circuit and on the access road.
background
For more background knowledge and explanation of terms, please also read the articles Understand Angkor and Angkor's story note.
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Koh Ker is first mentioned in an inscription in AD 919 and referred to as Pura (Sanskrit for city). Koh Ker is a modern name; during the Khmer period the city became Chok Gargyar (City of Shine) or Lingapura (City of Lingams) called. For a short time (from 928-944 AD) Koh Ker was the capital of the entire Khmer Empire. Probably ruled Jayavarman IV. as a local ruler for a long time over an area whose capital was Koh Ker before he was proclaimed king of the Khmer Empire in 928. That would explain why he chose Koh Ker as a metropolis instead of residing in Roluos (Hariharalaya) or Yashodharapura (Angkor) like his predecessors. There Harshavarman I. (900 - 922) and Isanavarman II. (922 - 925?), Both sons of Yasovarman I. (889 - 900), who died childless, came Jayavarman IV thanks to the marriage to a younger half-sister of Yasovarman I. on the throne. The numerous monuments erected in Koh Ker during his reign (928-941) or before, could only be realized through repressive tax revenues. The independent Koh Ker style originated, which inter alia. is characterized by unique reliefs and large, impressive sculptures. Most of Koh Ker's figural architectural decor is now in museums (e.g. in Phnom Penh or in the Musée Guimet in Paris) or was robbed.
After Jayavarman IV's death, it was not his designated successor who became king, but another of his sons, Harshavarman II. During his short reign (941-944) no further temples were built in Koh Ker. His successors resided in the more fertile surroundings of the Tonle Sap-See.
getting there
Since 2011 the road from Siem Reap (via Dam Deik) to Koh Ker has been very well developed (partly asphalted, partly natural road). An excursion from Siem Reap to Koh Ker is now possible all year round, with a longer journey time to be expected in the rainy season. There is no public transport. A taxi (around 100 U.S. dollars) takes around two and a half hours to get there and back in the dry season. First you drive on the national road No. 6 to Dam Daek. There you turn north (turn left at the end of the clearly visible market). After a total of about 50 km you reach the paying point, which cannot be overlooked, where tickets are available for both Beng Mealea as well as for Koh Ker ($ 10 each). Shortly after the toll booth there is a chargeable section ($ 5). However, the toll (which the chauffeur pays) is only charged for cars and not for tuk tuks (a tuk tuk driver going to Beng Mealea pays nothing). Shortly after the toll booth, the road forks. Right it goes to the temple Beng Mealea, which is only a short distance away, left to Sway Leu. In this village the road forks again, with the right stretch leading to Koh Ker. Around a third of the entire route between Siem Reap and Koh Kehr is a dirt road. Underneath you have to imagine a wide, red-brown and dusty jungle slope, which is very easy to drive on during the dry season.
It makes sense and is feasible to visit Beng Mealea and to connect Koh Ker. A travel agency, the hotel or the guest house can organize a trip to Beng Mealea and Koh Ker. Among other things, also organized multi-day trips to Beng Mealea, Koh Ker, Preah Khan of Kampong Svay (Province of Preah Vihear) and for Prasat Preah Vihear offered, but they are very expensive.
The ticket to Koh Ker is $ 10. The toll booth is near the turnoff to the Beng Mealea Temple. The journey is also from Tbaeng Meanchey, (Capital of the province of Preah Vihear) from possible. If you arrive from here, you will not pass any toll booth and may not have to shell out an entrance fee. In Koh Ker itself the tickets are rarely checked, if they are, you can buy one on the spot. Nearly all of the monuments have men and women in khaki uniforms who have the task of guarding the ruins. Too much has been stolen or destroyed in the past few decades.
orientation: At the parking lot at the end of the access road there is a large, but very faded overview map that is hardly helpful. It is advisable to stock up on a card (Internet) before traveling. A good map of Koh Ker is available in bookstores in Siem Reap for $ 5. You can also find a 30-page brochure on Koh Ker here.
The temple complex
Koh Ker covers an area of around 81 km², on which 184 monuments from the Khmer period have been discovered so far. Only part of it is currently accessible. The Rahal Baray is the largest object on the site of the old Khmer capital. The water reservoir measures 1200 mx 560 m and has only three dams, as it was partially carved out of the natural rock bed. Unlike the Barays of Angkor, it is not precisely aligned with the four cardinal directions, but shows a north 15 ° west orientation, which is also followed by numerous monuments. Today the Rahal Baray is mostly drained; only the corner closest to the main monuments has larger and smaller bodies of water. The actual urban area of Koh Ker, in which around ten thousand people lived at the time of Jayavarmas IV, extended northwest of the Rahal Baray. The long, partly parallel, partly right-angled structures that were found in the urban area are no longer interpreted as city walls, but as dams.
Linear system Prasat Thom / Prang
Double shrine Prasat Thom / Prang: The largest temple complex on Koh Ker follows a linear plan and does not have a concentric floor plan like most of the sanctuaries of the Khmer period. the parking lot at the end of the access road cuts through the approx. 800 m long, linear structure of the double sanctuary. On the right side of the parking lot are the two so-called Palaces. On the left, behind the shelters with the restaurants are the other monuments that belong to the complex. Of these, only the Prasat Krahom (red tower) and the Prang (step pyramid) are in relatively good condition. Of the other monuments, only ruins (some of them picturesque) remain.
The entire system consists of the following structures (viewed from east to west): 2 palaces - 1 huge entrance pavilion (gopuram) made of sandstone - 2 towers made of laterite - 1 gopuram made of brick (Prasat Krahom) - eastern, walled courtyard with the moat and Prasat Thom - western, walled courtyard with the step pyramid (Prang) - artificial, circular hill (grave of the white elephant).
Palaces: They are two very similar ruins. Four sandstone buildings of different lengths are arranged in such a way that a rectangular inner courtyard is created. Each building consists of three interior rooms; four of the buildings have vestibules. It is believed that these so-called palaces served the king or guests of honor as prayer rooms or lounges.
Entrance pavilion: The huge gopuram made of sandstone has a cruciform floor plan. Two long halls stand parallel to the cross arms, so that the cross arms appear double. Behind the gopuram are the remains of two large laterite towers.
Prasat Krahom: A red brick tower allows entry to the walled area, which consists of two courtyards. The Prasat Krahom (krahom = red) is next to the step pyramid the highest monument of the complex. Until 1930 the Prasat Krahom housed the more than three meter tall statue of a dancing Shiva with five heads and eight arms. The hands are in the National Museum in Phnom Penh; Nothing is known about the whereabouts of the remainder.
Prasat Thom (east walled courtyard): The Prasat Thom (= large temple) is located in the eastern courtyard within an idyllic, plant-lined moat. A dam with Naga balustrades leads across the moat to the east and west. At the end of each Naga originally woke up a great one Garuda. One of the two sculptures is now in the entrance hall of the National Museum in Phnom Penh. Prasat Thom had two concentric walls, two libraries, a central sanctuary, and twenty-one brick towers. Nine towers stand in rows of four and five on a rectangular platform. There are three smaller prasats in each corner of the base. An inscription says that the main lingam was consecrated in 921.
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Prang (western, walled courtyard): The seven-tier pyramid (often incorrectly called Prasat Thom) made of sandstone is much more like the pyramids in Central America (e.g.Teotihuacan or Chichen Itza) than the multilevel temple mountains of the Khmer period. Only on the east side (and at the same time the flat temple) there is an extremely steep staircase. The original stone staircase and the metal ladder attached above are so damaged that an entry ban had to be put in place for years. A comfortable wooden staircase has made it possible to climb the pyramid since 2015. The base edges of the square step pyramid, which was completed in 928, measure 62 m, the height is 36 m. An inscription on Prasat Damrei (located on the other side of the Rahal Baray) says that the monument housed a 4.5 m high lingam and that the erection of this ShivaSymbol that weighed tons, which caused difficulties.
White Elephant Tomb: Behind the Pram, outside the surrounding wall, there is an artificial hill, the so-called "grave of the white elephant". It may be the core of another step pyramid that was never completed. It is also being discussed whether it could be the tomb of Jayavarman IV.
Monuments on the circuit
From the parking lot, a slope leads around the Rahal Baray at some distance and joins the access road again after a few kilometers. This loop can be used by taxi. A ride in the ox cart would be more attractive and appropriate if one can be found (cost $ 12, duration one and a half hours). The road of the circuit branches right at the beginning, immediately after the parking lot. On the left it leads to the village of Koh Ker, on the right it crosses a stream and after a few hundred meters reaches the Linga shrines, which are dedicated to Shiva.
Prasat Balang (Prasat Leung Moi) and Prasat Thneng (Prasat Leung Pee): The first two sanctuaries are on the left side of the street and are very similar. Both are made of sandstone and house an immense lingam around two meters high, which rises on a high yoni base originally decorated with garudas and nagas.
Leung Bye: Then follows, also on the left hand side (the one not shown on the map) Leung Bye. It is a two meter tall lingam on a yoni base that has overturned and badly damaged. [To edit]
Prasat Leung Bon: On the right side of the street is Prasat Leung Bon, a tower made of huge sandstone blocks. Behind this lie the ruins of a gopuram. There is a large, broken linga in the tower; In addition, the yoni base was stripped of its relief jewelry. The following monuments are on the left side of the street.
Prasat Andong Kuk (Prasat Sralau): This walled monument shows the same architecture as the so-called hospital chapels that Jayavarman VII built in the 13th century. Century in the whole Khmer Empire, which indicates that Koh Ker in the XII. Century was still an inhabited city. In the central shrine of the badly damaged sanctuary stands a large linga from an earlier period.
Prasat Krachap: This large, badly damaged sanctuary is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Koh Ker. It was inaugurated in 928 and has two concentric walls. On a platform inside, which is barely recognizable, there were once five brick towers in quincunx positions. The magnificent gopuram originally had a roof made of a wooden structure (which is evidenced by holes in the stone). Two reliefs depicting Shiva on Nandi, his mount, can be found in this monument.
Prasat Bantey Pee Chean: The Prasat Bantey Pee Chean, which was completed in 937, is in a ruinous state. It has two concentric enclosing walls. The laterite temple in the center, which includes libraries and a long gallery, was surrounded by eight smaller brick sanctuaries, little of which has survived.
Prasat Chrap: This temple has two concentric enclosing walls. Three large laterite towers, which stand in a row, rise in the center. In front of these are the remains of two brick sanctuaries.
Prasat Damrei: It is located on the right side of the slope. A beautiful brick shrine with a side length of 6 meters is located within an enclosure wall. Four stairs flanked by lions lead to the sanctuary, in each of the corners of which a sandstone elephant originally kept watch; however, only two of these sculptures have survived.
Other monuments: There are some smaller sanctuaries near Prasat Damrei. The "Trapeang Khna" reservoir, decorated with reliefs on the narrow sides, is also located here. Then the circular route joins the main street again.
Monuments on the access road
There are four other sanctuaries on the access road:
Prasat Pram: The southernmost temple complex of this group is Prasat Pram, which is surrounded by a laterite wall. A 300 meter long path leads to the sanctuary on the left side of the street. Three well-preserved brick towers rise on a common platform. In front of these are two smaller prasats. One is made of brick and the other is made of laterite. The brick tower has diamond-shaped holes in the upper part, which indicates that the sacred fire, which played an important role in the Khmer cults, was once kept here. Two of the five towers (pram = five) are picturesquely overgrown by trees.
Prasat Neang Khmau: This temple is a little further north on the right side of the road. The complex has a laterite wall and a laterite tower on a sandstone base. Three doors are decorated with reliefs.
Prasat Bak: Again on the left hand side is the following Prasat Bak. The laterite temple, measuring only 5 x 5 m, is in a desolate condition. It housed a colossal statue of at least until 1960 Ganesh, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Uma. This sculpture is now in a private collection outside of Cambodia.
Prasat Chen: The northernmost sanctuary of this group is Prasat Chen, which is also on the left side of the street. It is enclosed by a 2 m high laterite wall. The impressive giant sculpture of two wrestling monkey kings, which is exhibited in the National Museum in Phnom Penh, was originally located in this temple.
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kitchen
In front of Prasat Thom there are a number of simple shelters with restaurants and souvenir shops like in front of the temples in Angkor. In the village 10 km south Sra Yong you can find some simple Khmer restaurants.
accommodation
In the village Sra Yong, 10 km south of the temple area, on the left side of the access road, there is a simple overnight accommodation:
- Mom Morokod Koh Ker Guesthouse. Sra Yong. It was opened in 2009 and has ten simple guest rooms with a fan, cold water shower and electricity (generator).
security
The region of Koh Ker was heavily mined until recently. In the meantime, large areas, especially around the most important monuments, have been cleared of the mines, as indicated by boards with plans in various places. Even so, it is not advisable to go off the beaten track. For safety reasons, Heritage Watch is strongly discouraged from visiting ruins that are not on the access road or on the circular road at Rahal Baray without a local guide. Another problem is orientation. Apart from the circular road that starts at the car park and leads back to the main route past numerous monuments, no paths are signposted. So you could easily get lost in the jungle despite or because of the countless small paths.
Ko Ker is located in a malaria area with resistant pathogens. Anyone who stays here at dusk or even stays overnight in the Koh Ker region must definitely be provided with adequate mosquito protection (mosquito net!). Warning: In Koh Ker there are ants in many places whose bite is very unpleasant.
literature
- : Angkor, Cambodia's Wondrous Temples. 2006, ISBN 978-962-217-802-1 . - The 500-page book by the American art historian, who lives in Bangkok and made more than a hundred trips to Cambodia, is currently the most detailed work on the temples of Cambodia. She dedicates a total of three pages of text and three excellent plans to Koh Ker.
- : Koh Ker, short guide. 2010, ISBN 978-963-08-0470-7 . (English) - Approx. 30 pages, with several plans and numerous pictures.
Web links
overview
| Time period: | End of the 12th, beginning of the 13th century | Getting there: Day trip from Siem Reap. It is best to take a taxi with a local driver. |   two to three hours |
| Architectural style: | Koh Ker, Banteay Srei | ||
| Reign: | Jayavarman IV. | Visiting time: all day | |
| Religion: | Hinduism | ||
| Other plants of this period: Baksei Chamkrong | |||
