Preah Ko - the Oldest Temple of Roluos Group

Preah Ko was built by King Indravarman I in 879. Indravarman was the nephew of Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer empire. The temple was dedicated to Shiva and the name “Sacred Bull” represents Nandi, Shiva’s mount. Preah Ko was the oldest of all the temples in Roluos.

At the time, Preah Ko would have been part of the ancient capital city of Hariharalaya before it was moved to Angkor Thom in the late 12th century.

The temples would have declined in importance at this time but would have continued to have been used.

It is believed that the temples were deserted with the other temples at Angkor at some point in the 16th century.

Rediscovery and Restoration

The site was rediscovered by French explorers in the late 19th century. It wasn’t until the 1930s that the site was cleared. In the 1990s, the German government funded a restoration project of the towers.

Preah Ko 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.

The moat and outer enclosures

The Preah Ko is surrounded by a moat measuring over 500 meters on each side and three enclosures. Nothing remains of the third enclosure except for the East cruciform gopura, in which was the main entrance to the temple.

The laterite wall of the second enclosure is intersected by gopuras at the East and West side. In the South East corner of the 2nd enclosure stands a large, well preserved library building with perforated stone windows. Ascetics are sculpted into the bricks of the square structure. Virtually nothing remains of several gallery buildings and long rooms near the second enclosure wall.

First enclosure

The first enclosure is surrounded by a brick wall. At the center of the East and West wall is a gopura entrance building with colonettes in the windows. Lintels over the entrance gate are adorned with sculptings of Hindu Gods like Vishnu. The Preah Ko’s foundation stele was discovered in the East gopura building. The stele pays homage to Shiva, names the ancestors of King Indravarman I and mentions the date on which the statues of the main idols were installed in the sanctuaries.

Six sanctuary towers

Six sanctuary towers in two rows of three stand on a square platform. In front of the platform facing the towers are three statues of the bull Nandi, the mount of Shiva. Three stairways, each guarded by a pair of lions give access to the platform and the sanctuaries. The towers were covered in stucco in which very detailed sculpting were made, some of which are still intact today. The sanctuaries open to the East, while there are false doors on the other cardinal directions.

The front row sanctuaries (the East towers) are larger than those of the the second row. Indravarman I dedicated them to three of his ancestors, Kings who ruled Angkor before him. Flanking the doors are armed dvarapala guardians in niches. Enshrined on pedestals in the sanctuary rooms were images of the Hindu God Shiva. The lintels over the East entrance contain carved depictions of a Kala (a monster depicted with large teeth and only an upper jaw) with a deity sitting on top of its head, as well as Naga snakes and small warrior figures. The lintels over the false doors contain depictions of Garuda, Nagas and warriors.

The second row of sanctuary towers which are smaller than the front row was dedicated to Indravarman’s female ancestors. Instead of dvarapalas, the sanctuaries are guarded by sculptings of female devatas standing in niches. Lintels and pediments are adorned with sculptings of Nagas and Garudas.

Temple Facts

• Date: 879 A.D (late 9th century AD)
• Religion: Hinduism
• Built By: Indravarman I
• Dedicated To: Shiva
• Style: Preah Ko
• Best Time to Visit: Anytime, best in the morning
• Length of Visit: 30 - 60 minutes
• Temple Pass: Required

Location

Preah Ko is located in Roluos which is around 15km from Siem Reap. It’s located next to Bakong temple and south of Lolei temple. Check the location of Preah Ko on Google Maps for your reference.

Getting There

Getting to Preah Ko is easy. The National Road 6 is a good road and it’s easy to take a tuk tuk or a taxi to get there. However, National Road 6 is the main road to Phnom Penh and it’s busy, so if you’re cycling, you may want to opt for a more scenic route through the countryside.

If you’re taking the National Road 6 option, you can head out of Siem Reap for around 15km. 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.

If you decide to take the back way, you’ll want to leave Siem Reap via the Sala Kamreuk road towards Chhreav Village. Keep following the road to the east and eventually, you’ll find the group of temples which make up the Roluos group.

Preah Ko Tours

Preah Ko and the Roluos Group are popular temples to visit. They aren’t as visited as the main temples near Angkor Wat, but they still attract hundreds of visitors each day. Cycling Tours are a popular option for these temples as you can take the back way through the countryside.

If you’re travelling by tuk tuk or taxi, then you’ll probably have finished exploring the temples in half a day or less. Many tourists opt to include a floating village tour of nearby Kampong Phluk when visiting the Roluos Group.

It’s also possible to stop and see Preah Ko on the way back when taking a Beng Mealea temple tour.

Accommodation

Although there are some small guest houses and homestays in the area, most guests prefer to stay in Siem Reap town. The Roluos Group of temples is only a short distance from town, so most guests prefer to make the short journey to see the temples.

There’s more to offer visitors in Siem Reap than there is in Bakong. But if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Siem Reap, you might want to opt to stay in a home stay or small local guest house in the area.

Why Visit Preah Ko?

All the temples in this area are historically significant and well preserved. As such, they do attract quite a lot of visitors. However, they aren’t as busy as the main temples in the park and it will feel a lot less crowded here.
If you’re into cycling, the temples in the Roluos Group can be a great destination to get out of the town, explore the countryside and see a few temples.