Preah Vihear Temple: A Sacred Jewel on the Edge of a Cliff

-Bhoomee Vats

An ancient Hindu temple complex, Preah Vihar Temple, is situated at the top of a 525-meter-high cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains along the border between Cambodia and Thailand. The temple’s history dates back to the 9th century and is linked to the early Khmer Empire. Its construction began as a Hindu sanctuary, largely dedicated to Lord Shiva in his mountain forms, Sikharesvara and Bhradesvara. The oldest surviving architectural elements of the Preah Vihear complex date to the Koh Ker period in the early 10th century.

The construction and spread of the temple greatly enlarged during the times of the Khmer kings, especially Suryavarman I (1002–1050) and Suryavarman II (1113–1150), as per the rapidly changing architectural fashions and religious beliefs. The site did not just stay limited to Hindu devotees but also gained Buddhist importance, and this was due to the existence of a small Buddhist monastery that continues to be active even today. The temple is not just a mark of the intertwining of religions, but also plays an important role both religiously and culturally. It represents a holy mountain and cosmic axis, filled with Khmer cosmology. Its placement on a 500-meter-high cliff served to protect it, specifically keeping it intact even in natural disasters and human conflicts. It is an ancient Hindu-Buddhist complex, and also a UNESCO World Heritage site, perched on a cliff between Cambodia and Thailand.

Architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Site

Preah Vihear Temple is remarkably known for its outstanding Khmer architectural style, which largely differs from common Angkorian temples in its stretched out north-south regions extending approximately 800 meters. The complex is organized on a sequence of terraces that are along the cliff, representing Mount Meru, the legendary Hindu Mountain. The building is not just limited to one sanctuary, which is joined by pavements, stairways, galleries, and courtyards, with intricate sandstone carvings adorning lintels, doorways, and columns. The central sanctuary is placed at the highest southern corner, which can only be reached by extensive stairways with imposing naga (serpent) balustrades. The temple is built mainly of gigantic sandstone blocks, some of which even measure up to several tons, and are carefully fitted with each other to form roofs and gloriously decorated interiors.

Cambodia, after realizing the temple’s architectural marvel and cultural significance, submitted Preah Vihear Temple to UNESCO, which led to its listing as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. The UNESCO listing confirms the temple’s universal value as an outstanding masterpiece, which is the living proof of Khmer architecture, which is in harmony with its natural surroundings, an environment very rugged and rough. The condition of the temple, which is excellent in terms of maintenance, and other than that, its cultural value and the way it depicts the Khmer artistry were all major reasons for it to be chosen as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. But this listing did not just put the temple on the map; it also heightened the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand.

The Conflict

Preah Vihear Temple has been at the center of a long-running land dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. Both countries claimed their rights over the temple and the surrounding areas of the Dângrêk Mountains. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), in 1962, issued the decision that the temple itself is Cambodian and also directed Thailand to remove military troops from the temple. While this decision acknowledged Cambodian ownership of the temple, it did not resolve the general border conflicts in the region, resulting in occasional tensions and conflicts.

The crisis deepened following the UNESCO designation, as Thailand objected to Cambodia’s submission and saw this recognition of the temple as a mark of Cambodia’s claims over its territorial integrity. Border tensions continued further, which eventually led to diplomatic intervention from the United Nations and ASEAN. In 2013, the ICJ repeated its previous judgement and once more affirmed Cambodia’s sovereignty over the temple and requested Thailand’s withdrawal of military presence. Notwithstanding these judgements, certain border tensions remain, making relations between the two countries and any kind of agreement more challenging.

Current Condition

As of today, Preah Vihear Temple is safely under Cambodian control and can be reached mostly from Cambodia, with Thailand abiding by the ICJ decisions. The temple remains a functional religious temple with Buddhist monks performing rituals in addition to tourists visiting this one-of-a-kind architectural masterpiece. The site continues to be a source of national pride for Cambodia and a witness to Khmer heritage, attracting thousands of foreign tourists every year. Several efforts still ensure peace and protect the temple’s preservation alongside solutions to ongoing border sensitivities in the region.

Preah Vihear is a lasting monument at the intersection of religion, architecture, politics, and diplomacy, and it portrays the intricate legacy of Southeast Asia’s common history and cultural heritage. Over the course of time, Preah Vihear has undergone a series of transformations of function and meaning. These transformations were achieved by changing groups of actors who modelled the significance of the monumental remains according to their own goals. These groups of actors were art-loving European travellers, colonial administrators and politicians on behalf of the changing governments of Cambodia and Thailand, the national elite, and the local population.

Conclusion

The Temple of Preah Vihear, a unique architectural complex of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases on an 800-metre-long axis, is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture, in terms of plan, decoration, and relationship to the spectacular landscape environment. Authenticity, in terms of the way the buildings and their materials express the values of the property, has been established. The attributes of the property comprise the temple complex; the integrity of the property has, to a degree, been compromised by the absence of part of the promontory from the perimeter of the property. The protective measures for the Temple, in terms of legal protection, are adequate; the progress made in defining the parameters of the Management Plan needs to be consolidated into an approved, full Management Plan.