Preah Palilay
Very little visited
More on Angkor
Preah Palilay is believed to take its name from Parilyyaka, a forest that features in the stories of Buddha.
Travelfish says:
This theory is supported by the range of Buddhist carvings at the site, including one of Buddha calming an enraged elephant and another depicting the offering of forest animals like monkeys, elephants and birds.
Thought to date back to the reign of Jayavarman VII, Preah Palilay remains a bit of a mystery. With its wealth of Buddhist iconography, it’s considered highly unusual that the site survived the period that followed the death of Jayavarman VII. Instigated by his Hindu successor, Jayavarman VIII, a programme of sanctioned vandalism saw the destruction of many Buddhist icons throughout Angkor, yet Preah Palilay remained largely untouched.
With its unusual (and wobbly looking!) chimney-like tower and surrounded by towering trees Preah Palilay is worth stopping by, even if for just a quick wander around the site. It is nearly always devoid of other visitors, making for a pleasant spot to wander through either before or after Terrace of the Leper King and Tep Pranam, which sits just a short walk away to the south. There is a Buddhist monastery only a few metres away from the site.
Contact details for Preah Palilay
Address: About 200m to the northwest of Tep Pranam
Coordinates (for GPS): 103º51'18.72" E, 13º26'56.4" N
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Reviewed by
Caroline Major
Caroline swapped the drizzle of Old Blighty for the dazzling sunshine of Siem Reap and she spends most weekends cycling the temple-studded terrain that she can call her backyard.
