Phnom Chisor

Phnom Chisor is a hill with a small Angkorian temple complex in takeo Province of Cambodia, known for its brick sanctuary ruins atop the summit. The site preserves ruined towers and foundations visible on the hill crest.

The summit complex includes temple foundations oriented along a central axis and surviving brickwork from the Angkorian period; stone or brick causeways and mounting points for original galleries remain in places. The hill offers a clear vantage point over the lowland rice plains.

The temple was constructed during the Angkorian era and served as a local religious centre; over time the structure fell into ruin and today is visited as an archaeological and cultural site. Local authorities maintain access paths and basic visitor facilities.

Phnom Chisor sits on a solitary hill in Takeo Province, a short drive from regional towns and within reach of Phnom Penh by road; it occupies an isolated upland position within agricultural lowlands.

• Visiting tip: The temple dates to the Angkorian period and sits on a small hill that offers broad views over surrounding agricultural plains, making early morning visits advisable for cooler temperatures and clearer views.

What to See#

• Hilltop temple complex: The hilltop temple complex consists of brick towers and sanctuary foundations dating to the Angkorian period, with a central axis and ruined causeway.
• Summit viewpoint: The summit viewpoint provides panoramic views across the surrounding rice plains, reached by a stepped approach and short paved paths.

The temple atop Phnom Chisor, originally named Suryavaparta, or “mountain of the sun god”, was completed in 1015 during the early reign of King Suryavarman I. Facing east, it looks out over what was once the heartland of the pre-Angkorian realms of Funan and Water Chenla. Though now partly ruined, it remains impressive, especially for those who have not yet seen Angkor, and the views from the summit are spectacular.

Hundreds of steps climb to the top, where a small modern pagoda stands alongside a pool known as the Buddha’s Bath, a reclining Buddha image and a large lingam, the phallic symbol of Shiva to whom the original temple was probably dedicated. A path leads around the north side to the grounds of a working Buddhist monastery, shaded by a tree thought to be around 150 years old. From here the eye follows the original eastern staircase down to the remains of the Tonle Om baray, an ancient reservoir, and a pair of smaller structures that once belonged to the temple. Much of the site was damaged during the 20th-century civil war, but original carvings survive, among them a depiction of Hanuman riding an elephant above the eastern doorway and a stone lingam within the central sanctuary.

Phnom Chisor is reached by road from Phnom Penh. It is roughly an hour’s drive south of the capital along National Road 2, with a short local road up the hill to the site. Local buses and private taxis are the usual transport options.

• Climb the long brick stairway early in the morning to dodge heat and to watch the valley fill with light.
• Bring a local guide or ask at the small visitor booth - many of the carved lintels and inscriptions are best understood with a Khmer-speaking interpreter.
• Pair the hill visit with nearby villages to see how the temple's stones have been part of local life for generations.