Turn over the body

    Date: Second half of the tenth century 961

    Reign of construction: Rajendravarman II (Çivaloka) 944-967

    Cult: Hinduism dedicated to the Çiva

    Clearance work: H. Marchal and G. Trouvé 1930-1935

    Art Style: Pre Rup

Pre RupThis term refers to a method of incineration which consisted of tracing the outline of the body of the dead person in the cinders, then doing it the other way round which is called "Turning the body".

The outer enclosure wall is 127m by 116m; the central terrace forms a square of about 30m each side and about 15m high; 5 towers standing in quincunx. The principal decoration of the 5 towers consisted of their coating in plaster.

Two images of women with four arms and one, of whom has four faces and the other a sows head; they are the wives of Brahma and Viçnu, the latter in the guise of wild boar.

Pre RupThe lower tiers are in laterite 46m at the bottom, 6m high and there are 12 brick towers. In front of the principal staircase, there is a tank (vat) which was considered by Cambodian people to be the tank in which the legendary personage was cremated; it is a corner stone which must have been topped with rounded pyramid, but it is doubtless made of precious metal and now nothing remains.

Around the pyramid, there are two levels, each surrounded by a laterite hall: 120m by103

A stele which dates 961; this temple was formerly surrounded by moats and had a large entrance on the other side of the new road. the king installed Linga Rajendra Bhadreçvara in the central sanctuary. And Linga Rajendravarmeçvara in the north-eastern tower to dedicate to his ancestors.

Pre RupSome dignitaries also built some temples:

946 A.D Kavindra Rimthon - architect, built Prasat Bat Chum dedicated to Buddhist Malayana, especially for Bodhisatva Vjrabahi and Prajnaparmita

967 Raja Guru Yajnavaraha - Brahman priest built Tribhuvana Maheçvara (Banteay Srei) dedicated to the God Çiva.