Preah Khan: The Sacred Sword of Angkor

Preah Khan: The Sacred Sword of Angkor

Preah Khan: The Sacred Sword of Angkor 👑 Builder Jayavarman VII (Dedicated to his Father). 📍 Location Start of the Grand Circuit. ⚔️ Meaning "The Sacred Sword." 🧭 Layout A massive, flat labyrinth. Preah Khan is one of the largest and most complex temples in the Angkor Park. Built by King Jayavarman VII as a university and monastery, it housed over 100,000 people. While Ta Prohm was built for his mother, Preah Khan was built to honor his father—and the scale of it is staggering. Exploring the Labyrinth The "Greek" Pavilion One of the biggest mysteries of Angkor is found here. The Two-Story Pavilion features round columns that look incredibly similar to ancient Greek architecture—a style seen nowhere else in the Khmer Empire. Its purpose remains a mystery, though some say it housed the Sacred Sword itself. The Strangler Figs Like its sister temple Ta Prohm, Preah Khan has been swallowed by the jungle. Be sure to walk to the East Gate to see a massive Strangler Fig tree that has com…