Preah Vihea

Preah Vihea began to build Yasovarman I in 893, he erected the temple of Shiva Shikhareshvara ("God of the Top"). Subsequent kings of the Khmer Empire, including Suryavarman II and his spiritual mentor and advisor Divakarapandit, restored the old and built new structures.

Preah Vihea4.jpgPreah Vihea5.jpg The temple of Preah Vihea, whose amazing beauty rises on the mountain border of Cambodia and Thailand, is unique in its architectural solution, in which this religious complex perfectly fits into the surrounding picturesque landscape. This grandiose structure dedicated to the god Shiva was erected on a cliff of a plateau towering over a green plain during the reign of as many as seven Khmer rulers. Its unique location, lengthy construction, as well as the phenomenal skill of the architects, reflected on the walls of Preah Vihea, make it a truly valuable archaeological site of Southeast Asia, which in 2008 was included in the list of protected cultural sites of UNESCO World Heritage.

Preah Vihea or Temple in Heaven, as it is often called by locals because of its remote location in the Dandrek Mountains, according to official historiography, was built from the late IX to the first half of the XI centuries. However, many experts believe that the temple was built much earlier. As evidence, references are made to the fact that Yasovarman I began to build a temple of Shiva on the site of more ancient ruins, and his successors on the throne, including the well-known Suryavarman II, expanded the ensemble, erecting new buildings and restoring older ones. Whatever it was, today it is a real masterpiece of architecture of those times, which is perfectly preserved to this day and today is an exceptional example of the cultural flourishing of the Khmer Empire.

The axial layout of the temple is stretched from north to south, as required by Hindu ideas about the world order. The upper staircases are decorated with carved lions and nagas. To the temple leads an ascending path, a length of several hundred meters, which passes through five gopuras, connected with each other by stairs and alleys. The entire ensemble is complemented by all sorts of bas-reliefs and columns.

In 1904, France asked the King of Thailand to return three centuries-occupied provinces of Cambodia, including one of those provinces that contains the symbol of Cambodia and the greatness of the Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat.

In 1907, the provinces were returned to Cambodia, which at that time was part of the colonial possessions of France - French Indochina.

During World War II, Thailand sided with fascist Germany and militaristic Japan. The government of Japan promised the king of Thailand that it would provide all possible assistance in territorial disputes with French Indochina - this was the beginning of the Franco-Thai War of 1940-41.

However, it all ended almost without beginning - the colonial government of French Indochina, for its own salvation, takes the side of the Vichy regime, and in fact becomes an ally of Japan and Thailand.

On November 9, 1953, the Kingdom of Cambodia gained independence from France, and the centuries-old territorial conflict received a new round.

In 1954, the Thai army occupied the territory of the temple, but by the decision of the International Court of Justice in 1959 it was forced to withdraw its troops to the border of 1907. Thai authorities refused to demarcate the border. Thailand disagreed with the court's decision.

At that time, the main defender of the monuments of Cambodia was Henri Marshal, a world-renowned scientist. His opinion was mainly based on the decision of the International Court of Justice.

In 1975, the Khmer Rouge, led by Paul Pot, occupied Phnom Penh, knocking out the pro-American government of the Khmer Republic. Defenders of the old regime retreated to the Thai border, including Preah Vihea. When the Khmer Rouge finally stormed the mountain, supporters of the Khmer Republic left the temple and surrendered to the Thai authorities. Then the communists broke the carved walls and sold them to Thailand, and from Thailand they dispersed around the world.

The war of 1978-79 ended with the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh, but not in the Preah Vihea region - the Vietnamese could not take the temple, and its surroundings until the mid-90s of the XX century were controlled by Khmer Rouge guerrillas.

In 1979, the government of Kryangsak Chamamanan deported thousands of Cambodian refugees from Thailand. They are taken by bus to Preah Vihea, after which they are forcibly lowered from a cliff on the Kampuchean side. The number of people killed in this “operation” (including when crossing minefields) is unknown.

On July 7, 2008, the Preah Vihea temple complex was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The decision has raised tensions in the region, sparking armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, which are contesting their rights to Preah Vihea.

Attention! During the New Year holidays, the tariff for guide services changes:

December 26 to January 4 - $220

January 4 to January 10 - $250

Duration of the excursion from 7.30 to 18.00
Cost of transportation - $150
Entrance tickets - $10 c person + $25 for climbing the mountain on an SUV (all) + a guide ticket
Work guide - $180
Attention! Prices are per group of up to 8 people. For large groups, prices on request.