Bak Sei Cham Krong Temple

“The bird that shelters under its wings”
Location: Is located 150 meters north of “Phnom Bakheng” and 80 meters from the road that leading to the south gate of ‘Angkor Tom.
Access: A visit to ‘Baksei Chamkrong”can be combined with a stop at the south gate of Angkor Tom and walk to the temple from the east. Well! The stairs to the central tower are in poor condition but the architecture and decoration of this temple can be viewed by walking around. Climb to the central tower should use the north stairway.
Date: Middle of the 10th century (921).
King: Perhaps began by Harshavarman 1 (Rudraloka) and it completed by Rajendravarman 2 (947).
Religion: Hinduism (dedicated to Siv).
Art-style: Bakheng & koh ker.
-Clearance work by Mr. Henri Marchal (1919).
1, Background
According to legend a king fled during an attack on Angkor but was saved from being caught by the enemy when a large bird swooped down and spread its wings to shelter the king. The name of this temple derived from this legend Bakei Chamkrong was the first temple mountain at Angkor built entirely of durable materials (brick laterite-stone). Inscriptions on the columns of the door were engraved in the reign of king Rajendravarman 2 (944-968) which give the date of the temple and mentioned the golden image of the god Siva.
2, Layout
Baksei Chamkrong which has a simple plan with a single tower on top. It was an artificial temple mountain stood on a high laterite-base with 4 levels 27 meters high from the top to the bottom. The base is 15 meters high and the brick tower is 12 meters high. A steep stairway on each of the 4 sides of base. The temple was enclosed by a brick wall is 45 meters for each which had an entry tower at the east side it is mostly broken.
3, Central tower “brick”
The square central tower is built of brick 8 meters for each side and stands on a sandstone base. It has one door opening to the east with three false-doors on the other three sides. As it is typical formula of the 10th century Kmer architecture the columns lintels are made of sandstone. A vertical panel in the center of each false-door contains motifs of foliage on stems. The interior of this tower has sunken floor and a domed-shape roof. In the corners of the brick tower decorated with female divinities.
*East lintel: Indra (god of the sky cloud) is riding on an elephant with three heads “Airavana” (Writing by kealy e-mail: kealy.driver@gmail.com)