Bakong

Ancient Ruins of Angkor, Cambodia Travel Guide
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Bakong, Cambodia
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Bakong
Cambodia

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Bakong is the first significant temple mountain in Angkor. It was built in the late 9th century AD, and was the state temple of King Indravarman I when the Angkor capital was at Hariharalya, in presently Roluos. Bakong consists of a five-tier pyramid, symbolizing Mount Meru, and was dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. A stele has been discovered where the inscription mentioned the consecration of Bakong's linga, Sri Indresrava, in 881.

The area occupied by Bakong is vast - 900 meters by 700 meters. There were two moats and three concentric enclosures. The Bakong pyramid is almost square. What we see of it today was a reconstruction done in the 1930s. Before then, the structure had disintegrated, and blocks of sandstone were scattered all over the place.

At the corners of the three lower tiers are statues of elephants facing outwards. On the fourth tier are twelve shrines spaced at regular intervals. The prasat, or tower, at the top of the Bakong was constructed much later than the pyramid itself, having a style similar to Angkor Wat, which came later.






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