Phnom Chisor

Phnom Chisor is situated about 60 km south of Phnom Phen, in Takeo province, there is a really nice temple on the hill. The temple of Phnom Chisor dated back to the 11th century under King Suryavarman I.
The view from the top of the hill in Phnom Chisor over all the plains and the Mekong’s delta is really an amazing experience.
Phnom Chisor was also known as ‘the Mountain of the Sun’ and due to the influence of Hinduism of that time, was dedicated to Brahma, ‘the Creator of the Universe’.
The climb of the hill is quite exhausting if done in the hottest hours of the day.
To establish his authority King Suryavarman I ordered the consecration of four major temple sites including the magnificent Preah Vihear in the north and Phnom Chisor in the south of present day Cambodia.

The main temple has been altered several times since but still retains a great deal of its former glory, even surviving a 1973 bombing raid by US.
Restoration in Phnom Chisor made by French earlier this century has been rewarded with a collection of intricate carvings and Khmer inscriptions.
The main sanctuary, two libraries and four towers are made of brick and laterite construction with some splendid sandstone above the doorways. The wooden doors of the main building are uniquely decorated with carvings of figures standing on the backs of pigs, whilst inside are countless statues of Buddha.
On the way back to Phnom Penh I stopped at the well preserved Angkorean temple at Tonlè Bati as you can see in the photos.

Posted on October 26, 2001

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