Pimeanakas Temple and Royal Palace

Pimeanakas Temple and Royal Palace

Pimeanakas Temple & Royal Palace

Date:                               Built in late tenth century

Religion:                         Hinduism

King:                               Rajendravarman II (944-968)

Posthumous name:    Sivaloka

 

Phimeanakas was the king’s private temple which was built in the center of royal palace complex. Its foundation project was opened by kingRajendravarman II who crowned from 944-968AD, and then his son, king Jayavarman V, who crowned from 968-1000AD constructed most of this temple structure, and king Suryavarman I who crowned from 1002-1049AD added some more construction later.

 

This temple is 12m tall with its foundation of 35m by28m. The materials used to build this temple structure were laterite and sandstone. Phimeanakas comprises four staircases to climb up. There was originally a long hall built with mahogany wood leading from the palace to western staircase. Nowadays, that hall only remains some laterite foundations.

 

Statues:

Each staircase has lion statues built with sandstone in an action of seating at each tier. Only a few of them remain today. Every corner of each tier has an elephant statue which is much ruined.

 

The top structure:There’s a narrow sandstone gallery surrounding the central shrine on top. It’s in good condition, but its window columns have gone.The central shrine originally had a gold Naga statue with nine heads. There’s a very important inscription in the east door pier of the top shrine. it provides us information about this temple and the palace.

 

Mr, Chou Ta Kaun was a Chinese diplomat, who lived in Angkor Thom one year in 1295. He mentioned about this temple in his famous books, which one of them still remains today. He was told about the legend of this temple by local people that Phimeanakas temple was a holy place. Every night at8pm, the king climbed up to pray in the top shrine which was gilded with gold. After praying, that gold Naga statue transformed as a beautiful woman called Genii to make love with the king. The king must do this every night, otherwise his kingdom would not get prosperity or the king himself would be dead, so the king must be strong and he must not be lazy to climb up. If Genii did not appear up there, it could be a sign of the king or his kingdom’s bad omen.Chou Ta Kaun also mentioned that the king had fivequeens and 2000 concubines.

 

Pool:

There’re two royal swimming pools. a big pool was used by the king’s five queens and 2000 concubines. it has some beautiful carvings about life in the oceans, life in the Naga world and the life in Garuda world as well.Walking around in this vicinity, we sometimes see many fragment pieces of tile roof of the palace

 

Royal Enclosure:

The fortified wall of the Royal Palace was built oflaterite which is 600m by 400m. This complex was established in late 10^th century by king Jayavarman V and his father king Rajendravarman II.

 

Palace Entrance:

There are six sandstone entrance structures in wall of this palace. The east and the west were the main entrance. Four of them locate in the north and the south wall. There’re also many other extra doorsfor emergency purpose at on the wall of the Royal Enclosure. The east entrance structure hasinscription in its window frames. It was written by in early 11^th century by king Suryavarman I, for his minister to pledge allegiance to him