Just to the east of Phnom Penh is Prasat Bakong, an area with three temples really close to each other. I thought this would be a good area to visit on my last day exploring temples. The first temple on the list was Preah Ko, named for the three bull statues in front of it.
I was excited to see the three temples at Prasat Bakong in quick succession, but my tour started with a minor disappointment. Preah Ko was undergoing some restoration work, so two of the main towers were concealed by scaffolding and tarpaulin. It was unfortunated, but it’s a reminder that people are still working to preserve these historic buildings.
The stone path leading up to the temple is fairly intact, and you can get a sense of how it must have looked as you approach the temple. There are signs that there were more walls and structures either side of the path, though there is little that can be restored here.
The main temple is protected by eroded lion statues. Walking past them I noticed the asuras carved beside the door of the central tower. Inside the central tower was a small, broken yoni. Unfortunately the other towers were closed off so I was unable to see what secrets they held.
These towers once had many intricate carvings upon them, but the wooden structures have since been lost leaving the underlying red brick structures behind. I did get to see some of the stone carvings one the lintels depicting men riding nagas and horses. On the side of the tower’s doors was a tablet with religious text etched into it.
Around the sides of the temple I could see the sandstone statues that give the temple its name. Three sacred bulls sit outside the temple, watching the central tower that represents Shiva. One of the bulls no longer has a head, but one of them seems so have survived to this day, maintaining most of the detail that was originally carved into it.
Next to the main temple was another shrine made of red stone. Though its structure remains mostly intact, there is naught but rubble and a few artefacts inside. It seemed like it was being used as a temporary storeroom. There are signs that there were other buildings here, though they are only collapsed walls connected to doorframes now. There is also the remains of a wall that probably surrounded the temple grounds over a century ago.
As I left I noticed several small linga scattered around various nooks and crannies. I thought they looked a lot like petrified gnomes, which made me giggle on the inside. There are no longer people using these temples for worship, but perhaps it still serves a purpose to other-worldly beings.
