Chrung Temples
| Date: | Late 12th – early 13th century CE |
| Style: | Bayon |
| King: | Jayavarman VII (reign 1181 – 1220 CE) |
| Cult: | Mahayana Buddhist (Lokeshvara) |
Four Prasat Chrungs (Khmer: ប្រាសាទជ្រុង និរតី) were built in the corners of Angkor Thom. Each is a cruciform sanctuary with a small terrace facing a square stone pavilion which housed a stele.
The steles celebrated the merits of king Jayavarman VII, though the inscriptions were not completed, indicating that the Prasat Chrungs were erected towards the end of his reign and work stopped after his death.
The sanctuaries are decorated with small devatas and pediments devoted to Lokeshvara and Buddha.
I love walking my dog along the walls of Angkor Thom in the evenings, usually starting at the South Gate and climbing to the top of the earth levee there, then following the path, east or west, running along the rampart to one of the Prasat Chrungs. This very pleasant 1.5 km (1 mile) walk (each way) gives lovely views over the moats.
Map of The Prasat Chrungs
Southwest Prasat Chrung marked below, there is one at each corner of Angkor Thom.
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On The Lantern Chronicles, I gather writings from Angkor, myth and legend, contemplative essays, and poetry — works shaped by silence, beauty, wonder, memory, and the deeper questions that follow us through the world.
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