Prasat Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, Preah Vihear Province

Prasat Preah Khan of Kampong Svay (locally known as Prasat Bakan) is located approximately 290 kilometers from Phnom Penh. It is situated in Bakan village, Ronakse commune, Sangkum Thmei district, Preah Vihear province.

The Preah Khan temple complex includes many large and small temples. This site is the third-largest temple complex in Preah Vihear province, after Preah Vihear Temple and Koh Ker Temple.

The Bakan temple group was built during the Angkor period, between the mid-11th and early 12th centuries, in the Angkor Wat architectural style. The surrounding tower temples were constructed later, during the late 12th and early 13th centuries, in the Bayon style.

Prasat Bakan, or Prasat Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, was initially built by King Suryavarman I, later expanded by King Suryavarman II, and finally by King Jayavarman VII.

King Jayavarman VII built Prasat Preah Khan of Kampong Svay to commemorate his victory over the Cham army that had invaded the Angkor Empire.

The Preah Khan of Kampong Svay temple complex has outstanding strategic military features, such as:

• Dense forests surrounded by barays (reservoirs), streams, and canals, with water sources flowing from Dangrek Mountain.
• Proximity to iron ore mines, which could be used to forge weapons for the army.
• Served as a military training ground before deploying troops to battle.

(For example, from 1177 to 1181, King Jayavarman VII used this site to train troops before confronting the Cham army that had invaded Angkor.)

The Preah Khan of Kampong Svay area, or the Bakan temple group, was officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on March 27, 2020.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the authorities, local residents, and all tourists for helping to preserve and protect this temple, a legacy of our Khmer ancestors, in order to promote and enhance Khmer cultural heritage worldwide.