Please be patient while the photographs load
Click on a image (with zoom) below to see the full-size photo
Phanom Rung Historical Park
Is a grand and majestic Khmer site over a thousand years old. Build on an extinct volcano, it is originally a Hindu religious site and later became a Buddhist one. During the 15th-18th Buddhist century, several additions were made.
The first thing visitors see when they arrive at the site is the grand stairway from the foot of the hill up to the top. Most of the buildings of the sanctuary are made of laterite and sandstone, all with elaborate designs. The buildings are lined all the way to the main pagoda. This layout is according to Hindu belief of the layout of the heaven of the god Shiva.
The main pagoda is a large one with a square base and facing east. The design on the pagoda, columns, doorway and lintels are exquisite, most telling a story of gods in Hinduism.
From these designs and the architecture, it is surmised that the pagoda, the stairway and the Naga bridge were build during the 17th Buddhist century. Each building has descriptive designs telling people the purpose for its construction, its usefulness and the beliefs of ancient people.
Address:
Phanom Rung Historical Park
Nang Rong District
Buri Ram
All photographs and text copyright 2007 - 2010
No part of these writings or photographs may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the author.
