Phnom Bakheng was once the capital of the Angkor empire, with the capital moving from Roluos to here after its construction in the 9th century. Although it’s one of the popular places to visit in Angkor, the sheer volume of visitors is quickly wearing out the temple.
Constructed to honour Hindu god Shiva, its layout resembles the mythological Mt Meru with its seven levels representing the seven heavens. There are four sets of 33 towers on the lower levels, representing the number of gods that resided in Mt Meru. The intent was that you can only see one set of 33 from any angle, although many of these towers have collapsed over time.
The layout has astrological significance, in several ways. The central tower represents the axis of the earth, with all of the 108 towers representing the four lunar cycles of 27 days each. In addition, each of the terraces has 12 towers representing the 12-year cycle of Jupiter.
Unlike the other temples in the area that made use of laterite and earth fill, Phnom Bakheng’s foundation was carved from the existing rock edifice.
