"One of the temples in the Roluos Group was built a few hundred years before Angkor city during the Khmer empire, the capital city called Hariharalaya. Also, Preah Ko is known for the beauty and intricacy of its carvings. The design on this lintel includes warriors mounted on three-headed nāgas, horsemen, and a deity mounted on a Kala".
Temple Info
Preah Ko, meaning "The Sacred Bull" was the first temple to be built in the ancient and now defunct city of Hariharalaya (in the area that today is called Roluos). The temple was built under the Khmer King Indravarman I in 879 to honor members of the king's family, whom it places in relation to the Hindu deity Shiva.
Preah Ko (Sacred Bull) derives its name from the three statues of sandstone located in the front of and facing the temple's central towers. These statues represent Nandi, the white bull who serves as the mount of Shiva.
A story of the Khmer empire saying that, after the Khmer king, Jayavarman II founded the Khmer empire in 802 A.D., he finally established his capital at Hariharalaya, where he died in 835. Indravarman I was the nephew of Jayavarman II and when he ascended to the throne, he ordered the construction first of Preah Ko, which was dedicated in 879, and later of the temple-mountain known as the Bakong. It is likely that this building program was made possible by the king's peaceful reign and his ability to draw income from the expanding empire.
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| Three statues of Nandi, Shiva's vehicle, kneel facing the three front shrines. The temple itself is named after Nandi Preah Ko means "Sacred Bull". |
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| Preah Ko is known for the beauty and intricacy of its carvings. The design on this lintel includes warriors mounted on three-headed nāgas, horse |
Preah Ko temple consists of six brick towers arranged in two rows of three towers each perched on a sandstone platform. The towers face east, and the front central tower is the tallest.
The sanctuaries are dedicated to three divinized forefathers of Indravarman and their respective wives. The front central tower is dedicated to Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer empire. The tower to the left is dedicated to Prithivindreshvara, King Indravarman's father; the tower to the right to Rudreshvara, his grandfather. The three rear towers are dedicated to the wives of these three men. The central towers all bear images of the Hindu god Shiva.
Preah Ko is one of the four temples which make up the Roluos Group, the other three being Bakong, Lolei, and Prasat Prei Monti. It’s one of the oldest temples built during the Khmer empire and predates Angkor by a few hundred years.
Temple is a quite interesting site to visit, even though it is not much visited as other temples in the small and grand circuits, however, it still gets a large number of visitors each day.
Normally, the temple of the Roluos Group is also often combined with a visit to Beng Mealea or a floating village tour of Kampong Phluk, or Kampong Khleang. Moreover, nearby it there is the Bakong temple which is great the temple was built in the latter part of the 9th century and was the state temple for King Indravarman I.
Temple Facts
Name: Preah Ko Temple (One of popular temple in the Roluos Group)
Date: 879 A.D (late 9th century AD)
Religion: Hinduism
Built By: Indravarman I
Dedicated To: Shiva
Style: Khmer (Preah Ko)
Getting There
Preah Ko temple is located in the east of Siem Reap town about 15km in Bakong commune and Bakong district. It’s located next to Bakong temple and south of Lolei temple.
To get to Preah Ko temple, you'll go from Siem Reap town along National Road 6 towards Phnom Penh. Then turn right before you get to the Bakong High School. Continue along the road for around 400 or 500m and you’ll see Preah Ko on the right side.
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