Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The first and second gopuras
Entrance to the site is via the 162 steps
of the grand entrance
stairway
, giving
onto a narrow courtyard decorated with
naga balustrades. The
first gopura
, in a
ruinous state, is raised on a platform
ahead. From here you get a terrific view
along the
first avenue
, more than 200m
long and boasting a monumental paved
area lined with pillars originally used to
support lanterns. The large bathing
pool to the east,
Srah Srang
, is guarded
by stone lions.
At the end of the avenue, the angle of
approach and the steepness of the steps
means that the only thing that can be
seen of the well-preserved
second
gopura
is the entrance door and the
impressive triangular pediment,
outlined against the sky. Above the
exterior of the south gopura's door are
two intricate and well-preserved
carvings
showing (on the lintel) Vishnu
reclining and (on the pediment) a scene
from the Churning of the Ocean of
Milk (see p.169). Here Vishnu appears
both as the tortoise Kurma, with the
churning stick on his back, and as
Krishna on the stick itself, keeping a
watchful eye on the surrounding
activity. The serpent Vasuki, meanwhile,
coils around the stick, serving as a rope,
while gods and demons pull together.
0
50
metres
1
2
1st Enclosure
Fourth
Gopura
2nd Enclosure
3RD
AVENUE
4
3
3
Third
Gopura
3
2ND
AVENUE
3rd Enclosure
5
Second
Gopura
4th Enclosure
PROCESSIONAL
AVENUE
Srah Srang
First
Gopura
6
The third and fourth gopuras
Further uphill, beyond the 100m-long
second avenue
, the double vestibules of
the cruciform
third gopura
form an
imposing entrance to the
third avenue
.
It was at this level that royal rooms were
located for use by the king when he
visited the temple; the two large
buildings flanking the gopura were
resting houses for pilgrims. The scene
above the north door of the gopura is taken from the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata
and
depicts Shiva fighting with Arjuna, a member of the Pandava family, one of two
warring clans in the tale.
The final avenue, leading to the
fourth gopura
, is flanked by ruined buildings. The
ground here is thick with collapsed masonry, with some well-preserved carvings lurking
in the undergrowth.
N
1
2
3
4
Central Sanctuary
Galleries
Pilgrims Halls
Tale from the
Mahabarata
Churning the Ocean
of Milk
Naga balustrades
5
6
PREAH VIHEAR
Border Area & Thailand
The main sanctuary
Through the fourth gopura is the
main sanctuary
, much of which has collapsed,
leaving a jumbled heap of massive stones. In its day, the temple was a pioneering
