Temple of Preah Vihear in Combodia

Temple of Preah Vihear in Combodia

Short Report

Located on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia, the Temple of Preah Vihear is dedicated to Shiva. The Temple consists of a number of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and steps on a 800 meters long shaft and dating back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, the complex history can be traced to the 9th century, when the hermitage was founded. This site is very well preserved, in particular as a result of the remoteness. The site is exceptional for the quality of the architecture, which is adapted to the natural environment and the religious function of the temple, as well as for the exceptional quality of carved stone ornaments.

Wonderful Universal Importance

The Temple of Preah Vihear, a unique architectural complex of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and steps on a 800 meters long axis, is an excellent masterpiece of Khmer architecture, in terms of planning, decoration and relationship to the spectacular countryside environment.

Historical Data

In origin, Preah Vihear sheltered a érémitique community; they can again see the caves in cliffs where lived the hermits, characteristics of the landscape Khmer. The foundation of the hermitage is often linked to the building of a shrine by the prince Indrâyudha, son of the king Jayavarman II, at the request of Shiva, at the beginning of the IXth century. The prince installed in it a party of the big linga of Vat Phou. Nevertheless, the origins of Preah Vihear were probably more ancient. The building of Indrâyudha was a modest wooden structure, located in the site of the existent stone building, and alone some modifications minor intervened under the lords Khmers who succeeded one another in Xth century.

Four khmer and Sanskrit inscriptions provide a precious dating of the good, and confirm that the king Sûryavarman I was closely involved in the building of actual group. This king made establish engraved pillars (Lingas) with different points of his vast territory, carrying his name and his title Sûryavarmeshvara (lord Sûryavarman), and one of them was raised to Preah Vihear at the beginning of the XIth century, there still at the request of Shiva. This one was located close to the initial temple, which was fast rebuilt in sandstone on the occasion of jobs of extension of the temple.

By 1050, new building had attained the gopura n ° 3, then jobs advanced more slowly, partly owing to difficult ground and of frequent landslide. Group was ended only in XIIth century, when the king Sûryavarman II entrusted jobs to one of his best architects, Divâkarapandita. 

The ownership of the good was the object of intense negotiations in XIXth century and at the beginning of the XXth century between the Frenchmen and the Thai governments. A treaty of 1904 conferred it in France, from which Cambodia was a protectorate. It was demanded by the Thailand in 1934 and occupied six years later. It is only in 1962 only the International Court of Justice of The Hague confirmed ownership by the new independent State of Cambodia. The site was closed during more than twenty years in 1970s owing to the history flustered by Cambodia. Happily, his isolation allowed that Preah Vihear is not much corrupted during this period, even if he was mined by the red Khmers, who left places in 1998.

Source:whc/unesco