Preah Ko
A minor stop
Published/Last edited or updated: 18th August, 2017
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Preah Ko—The Sacred Bull—is one of a handful of sites that make up the Roluos group of temples, moments from impressive Bakong.
Travelfish says:
What remains of it today are six small brick towers in two rows of three, sitting on a sandstone base along with a handful of outlying buildings in various state of ruins; it was home to one of the first libraries built during the Angkor era. Each tower is dedicated to one of Indravarman’s ancestors, including Jayavarman II, considered to be the founding father of the Khmer empire.
The sides of the doors of all six brick temples contain long inscriptions, but the big find here was the temple foundation steele in the gopura of the first enclosure. While the steele has been removed, part of the inscription is the eulogy of Indravarman I and reads, according to G. Coedes in Maurice Glaize’s Angkor:
“The right arm of the prince is long, strong and fearsome in battle as his flashing sword falls on his enemies, defeating kings in every direction. Invincible, he can be appeased by two enemies only—those who have their backs turned, and those who, valuing life, put themselves under his protection.”
For unknown reasons the six towers are a bit off kilter, unequally aligned. The main point of interest here are the lime mortar lintels and other decorative work that was affixed to the brick towers. Each of the six towers has a small, active shrine inside. It will only take a few short minutes to visit this site.
Contact details for Preah Ko
Address: Roulos Group
Coordinates (for GPS): 103º58'22.08" E, 13º20'37.68" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
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.
