It geographically located in Srayong Cheng village, Srayong
commune and Kulen district. The temple complex at Koh Kher, northeast of Siem
Reap, represents the remnants of the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire from 928
AD.
It was a unique period in the age of Angkor .
Just a few decades after the establishment at Angkor ,
there was a disruption in the royal succession for reasons that remain a matter
of academic debate. What is known is that in 928 AD, King Jayavarman IV, possibly
a usurper to the throne, created a new rival capital about some 100 kilometers
away at Koh Kher.
Obviously a king of much wealth and power, he raised an
impressive royal city at Koh Kher of Brahmanic monuments, so far more than a
hundred temples and Prasats surrounding a huge Baray, Rahal. Jayavarman IV
reigned at Koh Kher for 20 years before he died in 941 A.D. His son Hashavarman
II (941-944) would remain at Koh Kher for another 3 years before returning the
capital back to the Angkor area.
The monuments of Koh Kher are now on a road loop around the
Baray past the most important temples. The premier ruin of the complex is
Prasat Thom, an imposing 7-tierred pyramid and temple complex. There are some
several nicely preserved ruins sit just off the road, impressive prasats and
small temples complex such as Prasat Pram, Prasat Neang khmau, Linga-pura, Prasat
Chreng, Prasat Damrei...etc. There are
also dozens of other, more remote ruins in the area. To-day, many of them are
no longer standing, and some are buried in the ground.
