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Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura
Site number:
1532
Type of site: Cultural
Date: 6-7 centuries
Date of Inscription: 2017
Location: Asia, Cambodia, Ishanapura
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Description: The archaeological site of Sambor Prei Kuk, “the temple in the richness of the forest” in the Khmer language, has been identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the Chenla Empire that flourished in the late 6th and early 7th centuries CE. The vestiges of the city cover an area of 25 square kilometres and include a walled city centre as well as numerous temples, ten of which are octagonal, unique specimens of their genre in southeast Asia. Decorated sandstone elements in the site are characteristic of the pre-Angkor decorative idiom, known as the Sambor Prei Kuk Style. Some of these elements, including lintels, pediments and colonnades, are true masterpieces. The art and architecture developed here became models for other parts of the region and lay the ground for the unique Khmer style of the Angkor period. --WHMNet's description is from WHC Site, where additional information is available. CC BY-SA 3.0.
  Sambor Prei Kuk (Khmer: ប្រាសាទសំបូរព្រៃគុក, Prasat Sambor Prei Kuk) is an archaeological site in Cambodia located in Kampong Thom Province, 30 km (19 mi) north of Kampong Thom, the provincial capital, 176 km (109 mi) east of Angkor and 206 km (128 mi) north of Phnom Penh. The now ruined complex dates back to the Pre-Angkorian Chenla Kingdom (late 6th to 9th century), established by king Isanavarman I as central royal sanctuary and capital, known then as Isanapura. In 2017, Sambor Prei Kuk was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Located on the Eastern bank of the Tonle Sap lake, close to the Sen River, the central part of Sambor Prei Kuk is divided into three main groups. Each group has a square layout surrounded by a brick wall. The structures of the overall archaeological area were constructed at variable times: the southern and north groups (7th century) by Isanavarman I, who is considered a possible founder of the city and the central group (later date).
The buildings of Sambor Prei Kuk are characteristic of the Pre-Angkorean period with a simple external plan. The principal material is brick, but sandstone is also used for certain structures. Architectural features include numerous prasats, octagonal towers, shiva lingams and yonis, ponds and reservoirs, and lion sculptures. Sambor Prei Kuk is located amidst mature sub-tropical forests with limited undergrowth. The area has been mined and could still contain unexploded ordnance. --Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. CC BY-SA 3.0.
Source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1532. Description is available under license. CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
Source2: Wikipedia (http://wikipedia.com). CC BY-SA 3.0.
Reference: 1. UNESCO World Heritage Center (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1532). 2. Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 3.0.
 
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