Preah Vihear is quite a big northern province of Cambodia. Its capital
is called Phnom Tbeng Meanchey. The province itself is named after the
temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, what is definitely the hotspot of this
province. Much of the province is extremely remote and strongly
forested. Unfortunately do large logging companies reduce the natural
landscape by carving huge tracts of pristine tropical hardwoods out of
the locations. It is also one of the least populated provinces in the
Kingdom of Cambodia. This tranquil site is popular for the Preah Vihear
temple, standing in the vicinity of the borderline between Thailand and
Cambodia.
The province has one of the worst infrastructures in the country there
are even no proper Major Roads in existence. Going around this province
is not that easy if you're used to proper roads and usual transportation
possibilities, as there are only a few pick-ups or some money-hunting
moto drivers to take you where you would like to go.
Whatsoever the province has a lot to offer for those, who are interested in ancient temple structures and remote villages without touristy influence. Here in Preah Vihear you may find three of the most impressive legacies from the Angkorian era: the mountain temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, the 10th-century capital of Koh Ker and the mighty Preak Khan.
Koh Ker is nowadays easily accessible from Siem Reap via Beng Mealea, but the other two still remain difficult to visit, requiring long and tough overland journeys and a distinct possibility to spend a night in the jungle. During the wet season these places are more or less unreachable. But there are governmental plans to develop the region for a smooth but constant tourism, building roads and improving infrastructure.
The provincial capital Tbeng Meanchey is due to the state of the infrastructure and it's geographical location not visited by a lot of foreigners. Most of them don't make it here worrying about the street conditions and the backcountry feeling of no fast supply in need. The city is sprawling and dusty and consists of little more than two small major dirt roads form South to North. There is nothing interesting in town or to do, so it has necessarily become more a stopover on the way to Koh Ker and Preah Khan.
Whatsoever the province has a lot to offer for those, who are interested in ancient temple structures and remote villages without touristy influence. Here in Preah Vihear you may find three of the most impressive legacies from the Angkorian era: the mountain temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, the 10th-century capital of Koh Ker and the mighty Preak Khan.
Koh Ker is nowadays easily accessible from Siem Reap via Beng Mealea, but the other two still remain difficult to visit, requiring long and tough overland journeys and a distinct possibility to spend a night in the jungle. During the wet season these places are more or less unreachable. But there are governmental plans to develop the region for a smooth but constant tourism, building roads and improving infrastructure.
The provincial capital Tbeng Meanchey is due to the state of the infrastructure and it's geographical location not visited by a lot of foreigners. Most of them don't make it here worrying about the street conditions and the backcountry feeling of no fast supply in need. The city is sprawling and dusty and consists of little more than two small major dirt roads form South to North. There is nothing interesting in town or to do, so it has necessarily become more a stopover on the way to Koh Ker and Preah Khan.
Temple of Preah Vihear
Situated on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia, the Temple of Preah Vihear is dedicated to Shiva. The Temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases over an 800 metre long axis and dates back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, its complex history can be traced to the 9th century, when the hermitage was founded. This site is particularly well preserved, mainly due to its remote location. The site is exceptional for the quality of its architecture, which is adapted to the natural environment and the religious function of the temple, as well as for the exceptional quality of its carved stone ornamentation.
Situated on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia,
the Temple of Preah Vihear is dedicated to Shiva. The Temple is composed
of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and
staircases over an 800 metre long axis and dates back to the first half
of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, its complex history can be traced
to the 9th century, when the hermitage was founded. This site is
particularly well preserved, mainly due to its remote location. The site
is exceptional for the quality of its architecture, which is adapted to
the natural environment and the religious function of the temple, as
well as for the exceptional quality of its carved stone ornamentation.
Outstanding Universal Value
The Temple of Preah Vihear, a unique architectural complex of a
series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases on
an 800 metre long axis, is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer
architecture, in terms of plan, decoration and relationship to the
spectacular landscape environment.
Criterion (i): Preah Vihear is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer
architecture. It is very ‘pure’ both in plan and in the detail of its
decoration.
Authenticity, in terms of the way the buildings and their materials
express well the values of the property, has been established. The
attributes of the property comprise the temple complex; the integrity of
the property has to a degree been compromised by the absence of part of
the promontory from the perimeter of the property. The protective
measures for the Temple, in terms of legal protection are adequate; the
progress made in defining the parameters of the Management Plan needs to
be consolidated into an approved, full Management Plan.
Historical Description
À l'origine, Preah Vihear abritait une communauté érémitique ; on
peut encore voir dans les falaises les grottes où vivaient les ermites,
une caractéristique du paysage khmer. La fondation de l'ermitage est
souvent associée à la construction d'un sanctuaire par le prince
Indrâyudha, fils du roi Jayavarman II, à la demande de Shiva, au début
du IXe siècle. Le prince y installa une partie du grand linga de Vat
Phou. Toutefois, les origines de Preah Vihear étaient probablement plus
anciennes. Le bâtiment de Indrâyudha était une modeste structure en
bois, située à l'emplacement du bâtiment en pierre existant, et seules
quelques modifications mineures sont intervenues sous les seigneurs
khmers qui se succédèrent au Xe siècle.
Quatre inscriptions khmères et sanskrites fournissent une précieuse
datation du bien, et confirment que le roi Sûryavarman I fut étroitement
impliqué dans la construction de l'ensemble actuel. Ce roi fit ériger
des piliers gravés (lingas) à différents points de son vaste territoire,
portant son nom et son titre Sûryavarmeshvara (Seigneur Sûryavarman),
et l'un d'entre eux fut dressé à Preah Vihear au début du XIe siècle, là
encore à la demande de Shiva. Celui-ci était situé à proximité du
temple initial, qui fut rapidement reconstruit en grès à l'occasion de
travaux d'extension du temple.
Vers 1050, les nouvelles constructions avaient atteint le gopura n°
3, puis les travaux progressèrent plus lentement, en partie en raison du
terrain difficile et des fréquents glissements de terrain. L'ensemble
ne fut terminé qu'au XIIe siècle, lorsque le roi Sûryavarman II confia
les travaux à l'un de ses meilleurs architectes, Divâkarapandita.
La propriété du bien fit l'objet de tractations intenses au XIXe
siècle et au début du XXe siècle entre les Français et les gouvernements
thaïlandais. Un traité de 1904 la conféra à la France, dont le Cambodge
était un protectorat. Il fut revendiqué par la Thaïlande en 1934 et
occupé six ans plus tard. Ce n'est qu'en 1962 que la Cour internationale
de justice de La Haye en confirma la propriété par le nouvel État
indépendant du Cambodge.
Le site fut fermé pendant plus de vingt ans dans les années 1970 en
raison de l'histoire troublée du Cambodge. Heureusement, son isolement
permit que Preah Vihear soit peu altéré durant cette période, même s'il
fut miné par les Khmers rouges, qui quittèrent les lieux en 1998.