Preah Khan

Preah Khan is a large 12th-century temple complex at Angkor, built as a Buddhist monastic and educational institution under King Jayavarman VII. It is expansive and includes enclosed galleries, libraries, and subsidiary shrines.

The temple complex offers long covered galleries, intricately carved lintels, and areas where trees and roots intertwine with the stonework, creating characteristic scenes of masonry and vegetation. The layout includes a central sanctuary and multiple concentric enclosures that visitors can walk through.

Construction dates to the late 12th century under Jayavarman VII, when the site was established as a temple and monastic center and dedicated to the king’s military victories and religious patronage. Portions were altered or modified in later centuries and the complex has undergone phased conservation.

Preah Khan lies within the Angkor archaeological park near Siem Reap, positioned northeast of the core Angkor Wat group.

• Jayavarman VII construction and layout: Built and expanded under Jayavarman VII, the site functions as a large, partly restored monastic-temple complex with both carved stonework and tree-rooted masonry.

What to See #

• Central sanctuary and galleries: Central sanctuary and galleried enclosures that form the main compound, showing carved lintels and pillars typical of late 12th-century Khmer architecture.
• Outer enclosures and causeways: Forest-fringed outer enclosures and approach causeways where detailed carvings and doorways are prominent features of the site.