Preah Vihear Temple
Preah
Vihear is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer (Angkorian) architecture. It is very “pure” both in plan and in the
detail of its decoration.
Situated
between the border of Thailand and Cambodia on the edge of a plateau that
dominates the plain of Cambodia, the temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries
linked by a system pavement and staircase over an 800 meter long axis and dates
back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, its
complex history can be traced to the 9th Century, when the hermitage
was founded.
Soldiers from the Cambodian Army have been guarding the Preah Vihear temple surrounded in jungle and bearing similarities to Angkor Wat, for the last few years.
The
temple, declared a World Heritage Site in 2008, lies just 100 meters from the
border with Thailand, a border that was created at the end of the Second World
War.
Shortly
after, Thai soldiers descended on the temple and a battle ensued with Cambodian
troops, with the temple becoming a flashpoint for hostilities in the years that
followed.
In
November 2013, the International Court of Justice unanimously decided that the
land around Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia and that Thailand should withdraw
its troops.
I
had a special privilege seeing the greatness of Preah Vihear when we were
invited by the Cambodian Tourism Ministry May 2015 after my WOSM-Asia Pacific
CALT Training in Siem Reap. Preah Vihear
Temple was finally opened to public viewing August 2015.
Tourists
that made it to the far North of Cambodia to visit the site were required to
check in at an army base on arrival.
