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Preah Ko (Khmer
Khmer language

Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austro-Asiatic languages, with speakers in the tens of millions....
, The Sacred Bull) was the first temple to be built in the ancient and now defunct city of Hariharalaya
Hariharalaya

Hariharalaya was an ancient city and capital of the Khmer empire located near Siem Reap, Cambodia in an area now called Roluos. Today, all that remains of the city are the ruins of several royal temples: Preah Ko, the Bakong, Lolei....
 (in the area that today is called Roluos
Roluos

Roluos is a khum of Svay Chek District in Banteay Meanchey in north-western Cambodia...
), some 15 kilometers south-east of the main group of temples at Angkor
Angkor

Angkor is a name conventionally applied to the region of Cambodia serving as the seat of the Khmer empire that flourished from approximately the ninth century to the fifteenth century A.D....
, Cambodia
Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 13 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh....
. The temple was built under the Khmer
Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire was the largest empire of South East Asia based in what is now Cambodia. The empire, which seceded from the kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalised parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand,Vietnam, Myanmar, and Malaysia....
 King Indravarman I
Indravarman I

Indravarman I was a king of Angkor who ruled from 877 to 890 during the glorious days of the ancient Khmer Empire.Indravarman I ruled his kingdom from Hariharalaya, where it was established by Jayavarman II....
 in 879 to honor members of the king's family, whom it places in relation with the Hindu deity Shiva
Shiva

Shiva: is a major Hinduism god, and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is one of panchadeva....
.

h Ko (Sacred Bull) derives its name from the many bull statues located in the front of and facing the temple's central towers.






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Preah Ko (Khmer
Khmer language

Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austro-Asiatic languages, with speakers in the tens of millions....
, The Sacred Bull) was the first temple to be built in the ancient and now defunct city of Hariharalaya
Hariharalaya

Hariharalaya was an ancient city and capital of the Khmer empire located near Siem Reap, Cambodia in an area now called Roluos. Today, all that remains of the city are the ruins of several royal temples: Preah Ko, the Bakong, Lolei....
 (in the area that today is called Roluos
Roluos

Roluos is a khum of Svay Chek District in Banteay Meanchey in north-western Cambodia...
), some 15 kilometers south-east of the main group of temples at Angkor
Angkor

Angkor is a name conventionally applied to the region of Cambodia serving as the seat of the Khmer empire that flourished from approximately the ninth century to the fifteenth century A.D....
, Cambodia
Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 13 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh....
. The temple was built under the Khmer
Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire was the largest empire of South East Asia based in what is now Cambodia. The empire, which seceded from the kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalised parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand,Vietnam, Myanmar, and Malaysia....
 King Indravarman I
Indravarman I

Indravarman I was a king of Angkor who ruled from 877 to 890 during the glorious days of the ancient Khmer Empire.Indravarman I ruled his kingdom from Hariharalaya, where it was established by Jayavarman II....
 in 879 to honor members of the king's family, whom it places in relation with the Hindu deity Shiva
Shiva

Shiva: is a major Hinduism god, and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is one of panchadeva....
.

Etymology

Preah Ko (Sacred Bull) derives its name from the many bull statues located in the front of and facing the temple's central towers. These statues are thought to represent Nandi, the bull who serves as the mount of Shiva
Shiva

Shiva: is a major Hinduism god, and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is one of panchadeva....
.

History

After the Khmer king Jayavarman II
Jayavarman II

Founder of the First Dynasty of AngkorJayavarman II , a 9th century king of Cambodia, is widely recognized as the founder of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of the Southeast Asian mainland for more than six hundred years....
 founded the Khmer empire
Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire was the largest empire of South East Asia based in what is now Cambodia. The empire, which seceded from the kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalised parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand,Vietnam, Myanmar, and Malaysia....
 in 683
683

683 is a prime number....
 A.D., he established his capital at Hariharalaya
Hariharalaya

Hariharalaya was an ancient city and capital of the Khmer empire located near Siem Reap, Cambodia in an area now called Roluos. Today, all that remains of the city are the ruins of several royal temples: Preah Ko, the Bakong, Lolei....
. Indravarman I
Indravarman I

Indravarman I was a king of Angkor who ruled from 877 to 890 during the glorious days of the ancient Khmer Empire.Indravarman I ruled his kingdom from Hariharalaya, where it was established by Jayavarman II....
 was the nephew of Jayavarman II
Jayavarman II

Founder of the First Dynasty of AngkorJayavarman II , a 9th century king of Cambodia, is widely recognized as the founder of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of the Southeast Asian mainland for more than six hundred years....
. When Induralyaluh II ascended to the throne, he ordered the construction first of Preah Ko and later of the temple pyramid known as the Bakong
Bakong

Bakong is the first Architecture of Cambodia#Temple mountain constructed by rulers of the Khmer empire at Angkor near modern Siem Reap in Cambodia....
. It is likely that this building program was made possible by the king's peaceful reign and his ability to draw income from the expanding empire.

The dedications of Preah Ko, made in 880 A.D., were to a devaraja (tutelary divinity) of King Indravarman.

Site

Preah Ko consists of six brick towers arranged in two rows of three towers each perched on a sandstone platform. The towers face east, and the front central tower is the tallest. The front central tower is dedicated to Jayavarman II
Jayavarman II

Founder of the First Dynasty of AngkorJayavarman II , a 9th century king of Cambodia, is widely recognized as the founder of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of the Southeast Asian mainland for more than six hundred years....
, the founder of the Khmer empire. The tower to the left is dedicated to Prithivindreshvara, King Indravarman's father; the tower to the right to Rudreshvara, his grandfather. The three rear towers are dedicated to the wives of these three men. The central towers all bear images of the Hindu god Shiva
Shiva

Shiva: is a major Hinduism god, and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is one of panchadeva....
.

See also

  • Angkor
    Angkor

    Angkor is a name conventionally applied to the region of Cambodia serving as the seat of the Khmer empire that flourished from approximately the ninth century to the fifteenth century A.D....
  • Architecture of Cambodia
    Architecture of Cambodia

    The period of Angkor is the period from approximately the latter half of the 8th century A.D. to the first half of the 15th century. If precise dates are required, the beginning may be set in 802 A.D., when the Khmer people King Jayavarman II pronounced himself universal monarch and declared independence from Java, and the end may be set i...
  • Hariharalaya
    Hariharalaya

    Hariharalaya was an ancient city and capital of the Khmer empire located near Siem Reap, Cambodia in an area now called Roluos. Today, all that remains of the city are the ruins of several royal temples: Preah Ko, the Bakong, Lolei....
  • Bakong
    Bakong

    Bakong is the first Architecture of Cambodia#Temple mountain constructed by rulers of the Khmer empire at Angkor near modern Siem Reap in Cambodia....
  • Lolei
    Lolei

    Lolei is the northernmost temple of the Roluos group of three late 9th century Hindu temples at Angkor, Cambodia, the others members of which are Preah Ko and the Bakong....