Overview
Preah Khan (Sacred Sword) is one of the most rewarding temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park — a vast 900 × 700 metre complex of connected galleries, gopura gateways, and concentric enclosures built by King Jayavarman VII in approximately 1191 CE as a Buddhist monastery-university dedicated to his father.
The approach from the east entrance crosses a causeway lined with stone guardians and demons holding a naga body — the same cosmological churning imagery used at Angkor Thom's gates — before entering through a well-preserved outer gopura whose pediment carvings retain significant original pigment detail. Inside, the corridors extend in four directions through hall after hall, many partially collapsed, some with tree roots embedded in their lintels in a manner reminiscent of Ta Prohm but on a less curated scale.
Two architectural features distinguish Preah Khan from all other Angkor temples. The two-storey colonnade in the second enclosure uses round columns — the only circular columns in the entire Angkor complex — in a structure whose purpose remains scholarly debated. Some researchers believe it was a library or treasury; others propose it was a dancing stage or a secondary shrine. The second feature is the Hall of Dancers (Apsara Hall) whose interior walls carry carved dancing apsara figures in repetitive procession — a different iconographic programme from the battle and mythology reliefs at Angkor Wat.
Preah Khan's foundation stele — a stone inscription discovered on the site — provides one of the most complete records of any Angkor monument, listing the number of residents (97,840), the religious images housed there (515 stone images, 11,000 bronze images), and the villages providing support.
When to Visit
Open: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM daily. Best time: 8–10 AM before the modest tour-group activity peaks. Dry season: October–April for the firmest paths through the complex; monsoon season makes some lower areas waterlogged. Full circuit: Allow 90–120 minutes for a thorough guided exploration.
Admission and Costs
Included in Angkor Archaeological Park pass: $37 (1 day) / $62 (3 days). No separate entry fee.
The Case for a Guide
Preah Khan's labyrinthine layout and comparative lack of English signage makes it particularly guide-dependent — visitors without orientation can miss its finest features entirely.
- Directional navigation: The cruciform corridor system means visitors can arrive at the east gate, walk straight through to the west gate, and see only 20% of the complex; a guide maps a complete circuit through all four cardinal corridors and the second enclosure to capture the full experience
- Round column building: The two-storey structure with circular columns is a genuine architectural mystery — a guide presents the competing scholarly interpretations (library, dance platform, treasury) and explains what makes it uniquely anomalous in the Angkor architectural vocabulary
- Foundation stele data: The inscription listing Preah Khan's 97,840 residents and 515 stone images is a statistical record of medieval institutional life unparalleled in Southeast Asian history; a guide contextualises these numbers against comparable medieval European institutions
- Carving quality in the outer enclosure: The outer gopura's pediment carvings are among the finest in Angkor for their retention of original surface detail and composition clarity — a guide identifies the mythological scenes depicted and explains why outer enclosure carvings were typically executed at a higher standard than inner enclosure work
Tips for Visitors
East entrance: Enter from the east for the intended processional experience across the guardian causeway; most tuk-tuks drop visitors at the west entrance — ask your guide or driver to take you to the east gate first. Overgrown areas: Some of the most dramatic partly-collapsed corridors are in the northern arm of the complex, rarely walked on standard visit routes. Combine with Neak Pean: The small circular island temple Neak Pean is a 5-minute tuk-tuk ride from Preah Khan and rarely visited — a guide can incorporate it into the same morning for minimal extra time. Wear closed shoes: The complex has many uneven stone fragments and some areas require stepping over collapsed blocks.