Phnom Rung
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Phnom Rung was a pre-Angkor or early Angkorian temple. It now is a rarely visited very small monument to the west of the Angkor Archaeological Park. It is located about 2 kilometres north of the northern embankment of the huge historical lake called West Baray. The way to Phnom Rung can be found easily, by simply following the road on the dam. In the north-west corner of the reservoir there is an information platform. And from here onwards there are signboards showing the correct way. But at the site of Phnom Rung itself there is no such board. So don't drive too far. Phnom Rung could be overlooked as it is only a mound on the lefthand side.
There is not much to see in situ. The altar on top of the mount, sometimes visited by locals, is new, re-using some old stones. Originally Phnom Rung was a square brickstone sanctuary, open to the east, with blind doors on the other sides. Some sandstone pillars and joists are on the ground, scarcely decorated. The surrounding of Phnom Rung is traditional farm land. This tranquil typical Cambodian village landscape, with paddy fields and vegetable gardens, makes an excursion to Phnom Rung lovely and enjoyable. Apart from Phnom Rung you can visit many more small ancient monuments in this remote area, such as Spean Memay, Kok Po, Neam Rup, and Prasat Cha. You can not travel here with a car or a Tuktuk, because of the condition of the wooden bridges. The track accross the field is passable only for motorbikes or mountainbikes. Come in the morning hours. You can enjoy a tour around the West Baray without ticket. |
