Constructed by King Indravarman I in 879 to honour his forefathers when he first ascended the throne, Preah Ko means ‘sacred bull’. There are several stone bulls still standing at the front of the temple (but they don’t look like bulls to me no matter how hard I stare at them).
Preah Ko consists of two rows of three towers on a raised platform, facing east. The central (and taller) tower was dedicated to Jayaraman II, the founder of the Khmer empire. The tower to the left was dedicated to King Indravarman’s father and the tower to the right is dedicated to his grandfather. The 3 rear towers were dedicated to the wives of these three men.
Unlike Bakong which was made from stone, Preah Ko was constructed using bricks. The intricate carvings and inscriptions on the prasats and walls are beautiful and still in pretty good condition.
Even though this was only the second temple in our trip, I was beginning to feel the onset of temple fever.
Click to enlarge:
Other Posts of Siem Reap:
Siem Reap: Arrival
Siem Reap: Overview
Siem Reap: Day 1 – Bakong
