Cambodia Travel Takeo - Chisor Mountain Temple ប្រាសាទភ្នំជីសូរ

Cambodia Travel Takeo - Chisor Mountain Temple ប្រាសាទភ្នំជីសូរ (2013 0727)

Geographic coordinates 11°11′4″N 104°49′24″E

Type Bapuon style of Khmer architecture

Creator King Suryavarman I (1010-1050 AD)

Completed 11th century

Specifications

Temple(s) Two

Elevation 133 m (436 ft)

Getting There:

Phnom Penh via National Highway 2 to Junction of Mud Road (ថ្នល់បំបែកដើមធ្លក Market - Takeo Province)

Phnom Chisor (Phnom Chiso, Chisor Mountain, Khmer: ភ្នំជីសូរ) is a 133 m high mountain in Dok Por village, Rovieng commune, Samraŏng District, Takéo Province, Cambodia. It lies about 42km south of Phnom Penh.

Temple:

There is an ancient Khmer temple, Prasat Phnom Chisor (Khmer: ប្រាសាទភ្នំជីសូរ) (or Phnom Chisor Temple, sometimes referred to just Phnom Chisor) located on top of the hill. The temple was built in the 11th century of laterite and bricks with carved sandstone lintels by the Khmer Empire king Suryavarman who practiced Brahmanism. It was dedicated to the Hindu divinities Shiva and Vishnu. The original name of the temple was Sri Suryaparvata (Khmer: សុរ្យបវ៌ត), or The Mountain of Surya[varman] (The mountain of the Sun).

On the east edge of the mountain, at the back of the temple, there is a prime spot for view and pictures where you can see a vast plain of surrounding rice fields and countryside. From there, looking down to the east can see an avenue that forms a straight line connecting three main features including two outer gates (temples) of cruciform ground plan and a baray.