West Mebon

West Mebon (1050-1066)

West Mebon temple was built in the 11^th century during the reign of king Suriyavaraman I and king Udayaditvarman II (1050-1066), dedicated to Vishnu.

West Mebon temple is located in the centre of the West Baray, the largest reservoir of the Angkor area. West Baray is rectangular in shape and measuring approximately 8 kilometres by 2.1 kilometres with a storage capacity 56 million cubic meters.

The temple was built to a square design, with sides measuring about 100 meters. Each side had three tower-passages crowned with stone lotus flowers and arrayed about 28 meters apart. In the centre of the square was a stone platform linked to the eastern wall by a laterite and sandstone causeway.

Today the platform, causeway and much of the east wall and towers remain; the other sides are largely gone, though their outlines in stone are visible when the Baray's waters are low. There is no central sanctuary to be seen, though the platform may have supported some comparatively small structure in times past.

During the excavation in 1936 a large bronze sculpture with a fragment of the reclining God Vishnu was found. The fragment includes the god’s head, upper torso, and two right arms and now is exhibited at National Museum in Phnom Penh.

 

Udayadityavarman II (1050-1066) (Harshavarman III 1066-1080 and Jayavarman VI 1080-1107)

 

During the 47 years (1050-1107) of Angkor, three kings reigned in succession. Anti-foreign wars and unrest were rampant, but some major constructions were also completed.​ When Suryavarman I died, his sons Udayadityavarman II and Harshavarman III ascended the throne. Udayadityavarman II built the Baphuon Temple, the Western Mebon Temple, and built the Western Baray or Teuk Thla Baray (8 km x 2.2 km). His younger brother, Harshavarman III, fought two battles. The first time, the Khmers had to fight against the Chams who raised troops to attack the Khmers and take the Khmers captive. The second time, under Chinese influence, the Khmer raised troops to attack the Dai Viet, joining forces with the Cham. But the Khmer and Cham armies withdrew. In 1080, Jayavarman VI proclaimed king himself of the earth but did not return to Angkor. He lived in the new capital, Mahidharpura, in the plains of the Moon River. He built Phnom Sandak, Phimai (now in Thailand), Wat Phu (now in Laos), Preah Vihear. At the end of his reign, chaos ensued several times. Until the beginning of the 12 century, the King Suryavarman II ascended the throne at Angkor and restored order.