Cambodia abandoned city of Koh Ker. Pyramid and temples of Koh Ker of ancient Cambodia. Unique pyramid at Koh Ker

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During our five-year absence, Cambodia blossomed and became more beautiful, and our friends dragged us into the wilds of Angkor that we would never have gotten to on our own. So, meet the famous Koh Ker and his mysterious Pyramid of Death.

Now, after two obligatory Angkor circles, we went to even more remote complexes, where no Chinese tourist has set foot yet - to Koh Ker and Beng Melia.

How, how much and what to get to Koh Ker and Beng Melia

Koh Ker is located 120 km northeast of Siem Reap in a fairly deserted area that was recently declared a nature reserve. Due to its desolation and cowlessness, this area remains heavily mined to this day, and the largest temples were cleared and opened to the public only in 2011. The smaller ones were not cleared or opened, respectively.

You can only get to Koh Ker with your own transport, and this is one of the most expensive Angkor routes. This time the whole crowd of us traveled by minibus, and if for the Big Circle, for example, our driver wanted $35, then for Koh Ker we had to pay $100.

Angkor tickets are not valid in Koh Ker; you need to buy an additional ticket for $10. And in Beng Melia another $5.

"Pyramid of Death" Prasat Prang

Actually, Koh Ker is the same Khmer capital as the much more famous Angkor Thom or the city around Angkor Wat, for example. Numerous Khmer rulers built a carriage in such capitals, for which today’s descendants should be terribly grateful to them.

The highlight of the Koh Kera program, because of which everyone trudges here from Siem Reap for 3.5 hours one way, is the pyramid, famous in narrow circles of lovers of Cambodia and aliens. The main temple of the magnificent capital was indeed built in the 9th century in the form of a regular stepped pyramid, very similar to the Inca pyramids. They write that they are located in exactly opposite parts of the planet. Who has a globe?

Neither before nor after Koh Ker did the Khmers build such pyramids, everyone continues. In fact, they built it: in Angkor there is a similar temple, Baksei Chamkrong, although it is not as large. But the pyramid is indeed very unusual for the Khmers. Like this:

For that matter, the Egyptians also first built step pyramids, both in Mesopotamia and here in Moscow right on Red Square, ahem, I got distracted.

Another difference between the pyramid and other Khmer temples, and according to some, evidence of the participation of alien intelligence, is the quality of finishing of the stone blocks facing the pyramid. These blocks are really well polished and still fit very tightly to each other. Up close, it resembles the cladding of the basement floor of a Moscow Stalinist building =) Little green men? It seems to me that it’s just a project that has been proven for centuries. The inside of the pyramid is made of the same rough laterite blocks as many other Angkor temples.

Just a couple of years ago it was proposed to storm the pyramid using the destroyed original staircase on the facade, but now, thank Shiva, a new one has been built.

The most mysterious part of the pyramid is a shaft that goes somewhere down. They say that King Koh Kera Jayavarman IV professed the cult of Mara (a Buddhist demon) and made human sacrifices to her through this very mine. True, Jayavarman seemed to be a Hindu, but the dog will sort them out there.

According to the guides, a coconut thrown into the pyramid shaft floats up in a river a couple of kilometers away. And on the Internet there is an opinion that coconut goes straight to Hindu hell. At the moment, the Hindu hell seems to be overflowing, and the mine is filled with stones and sprinkled with earth on top. Closed for registration, no new arrivals accepted.

What is known for sure about this shaft is that a giant lingam 4 meters high was installed next to (or directly in it). Jayavarman IV had great respect for Shiva, so here we go. Records found in Koh Ker explain that it was the largest and most beautiful Shivalinga in the entire empire. If only I could take a peek!

The pyramid offers a picturesque view of the surrounding minefields.

And the stone remains of its former greatness, hiding in the bushes.

They also write that locals are afraid of the pyramid and consider it a cursed place. I don’t know, begging for money at its foot and selling water and coconuts at exorbitant prices, as usual, doesn’t bother them at all. And if the area is stuffed with anti-personnel mines, then in the second generation everyone will begin to consider it cursed.

In general, very little is known about the Koh Kera pyramid, and no one has really studied it. The first of the whites to discover Koh Ker in the 19th century, the French limited themselves mainly to the theft of all the statues and bas-reliefs preserved in the complex. So to this day, most Khmer artifacts that come up at auctions have their origins in Koh Kera.

Last look at the pyramid and we go to see Jayavarman's palace.

Royal Palace Prasat Thom

Little remains of the main structures of Prasat Thoma because pyramids had to be built.

This is what Angkor looked like before the restorers:

Koh Ker is an ancient temple city in northeastern Cambodia. Perhaps, due to its mystical history, this landmark of the Khmer Empire is undeservedly forgotten: the city was opened to tourists not so long ago, there is no full-fledged high-quality road, the minefields around have not been completely cleared - so there are relatively few tourists there.

Such actions were impossible within the capital that existed at that time, and the king decided to found his own city and declare it the capital. It is unknown how true all this was, but he really was one of the most cruel Khmer rulers, and after his death a few years later the capital was moved back to Angkor - they say the residents did not want to live in the city that the king founded in collusion with the demon.

Koh Ker was built on the artificial reservoir Rohal; the proximity of the reservoir is important for human civilization, so it was unthinkable to build a city without water. Temples were built in honor of the god Shiva - Hinduism was the dominant religion then. Who knows, maybe Jayavarman the fourth was in collusion with the devil, but in any case, the number of buildings erected in such a short time in Koh Ker is amazing - this has not been observed in any other ancient city. The most famous and best preserved structures of Koh Kera are Prasat Thom, Prasat Krahom and Prasat Prang.

Seven-tier pyramid Prasat Tom on the territory of Koh Kera remains the most mysterious and enigmatic to this day. Most of the tourists coming to Koh Ker want to see it. A mystical legend is associated with it: supposedly it was the shatha in the center of this pyramid that was the “link” between earth and hell.

Jayavarman the fourth threw his subjects into this mine, thus making sacrifices to his demon. The width of the base of the pyramid is 55 meters, height - 32 m. For the safety of tourists, the staircase leading to the top of the pyramid is closed. There are rumors that people who go down the pyramid shaft lose their minds and can no longer continue to live their previous lives. In its structure, the pyramid is similar to similar structures for sacrifice of other ancient peoples; its sides are located strictly in the cardinal directions.
Prasat Prang is a small temple, you can get around it in literally 10-15 minutes. Tourists are rarely seen here, so you will have an amazing opportunity to take “clean” photos. The temple structures are poorly preserved, and this is no coincidence: as in Ta Prohm, trees occupied the territory everywhere.

This ancient temple complex in Cambodia is located two hours from Angkor. For only 20 years, from 921 to 941, Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer Empire. Despite such a short period, this temple complex consisted of about 100 buildings. Alas, only a few of them have survived to this day.

The area where the ancient city was founded was called “Island of Glory”. The road to it is brand new, you can go quite quickly.

Koh Ker opened its doors to tourists relatively recently - in 2002, since before that demining work was carried out on the territory of the temple complex. The sign says in two languages ​​that the organization CMAC - Cambodian Mine Action Centre, which is located in the capital of Cambodia - Phnom Penh, cleared 438 mines and 809 unexploded ordnance.

However, as the same sign informs, the work is still ongoing, so it is better to walk along the beaten paths and not go into the jungle (although sometimes you really want to).

Prasat Chen consists of three shrines standing in a row. It was built in the 10th century by King Jayavarman IV. There are many legends associated with this king, but almost all of them agreed on one thing - dark forces made a deal with him. How else can one explain such a rapid appearance of so many buildings on the territory of Koh Kera in just 20 years? Although now only ruins remain of its former greatness, walking through them, you never tire of asking yourself the question - how did they actually build such a temple complex in Cambodia in such a short period of time, without the use of modern technologies and equipment?

There is still no answer - historians, engineers and archaeologists are scratching their heads, and the majority admit their powerlessness. Many construction technologies of that time have been lost, and their principles have not yet been solved.

However, despite the destructive actions of nature, walking through these places is a pleasure. It’s quiet, birds and cicadas are singing around, rare tourists or even locals come across these ruins.

Prasat Thom and Prang

A mystical haze surrounds Prasat Thom - the king's palace, in the center of which stands the Prang - pyramid. Numerous stories and legends have survived to this day about the reign of Jayavarman IV: his struggle for power over the Khmer Empire was accompanied by merciless bloody reprisals and treacherous betrayals. The ancient Khmers believed that Jayavarman IV was associated with dark forces.

Beliefs say that the king made a deal with the enemy of the Buddha - Mara, who had the keys to the gates to the underworld, and it was thanks to the devilish intervention that Jayavarman IV ascended the throne. Legend has it that Mara demanded payment for his service, which did not consist of luxury goods at all: he demanded human lives. Historians also claim that it was in the Prang (pyramid) that bloody ritual sacrifice ceremonies were held.

If you look closely, Prang is incredibly reminiscent of the famous Aztec pyramids, which are located in Mexico. The height of the pyramid is 35 meters, it is built from blocks of stones, the sizes of which fit each other so precisely that it is impossible to insert even a banknote between them. Another inexplicable mystery of Koh Kera.

A stone staircase leads upstairs, on top of which another wooden staircase was built. True, no one is monitoring its condition, although entrance to the temple costs $10, which clearly allows you to add a couple of extra boards. But perhaps this is not due to natural Khmer laziness, but to the fact that, according to their legends, this is a cursed place. The locals themselves refuse to climb to the top of the pyramid, since this is where the entrance to the mine is located, where, according to legend, King Jayavarman IV dumped his innocent victims. The mine was something of a link between our real world and the underground kingdom of Mara.

Many tourists ignore this sign, which was hung instead of restoring the stairs. We would join them, especially since after such stories we wanted to see the entrance to the mine with our own eyes. But the strict views of the parents and the guide forced us to abandon this idea.

In addition, legends say that initially there was a 5-meter golden statue at the top of the pyramid. When a French expedition discovered Prasat Thom in 1930, no trace of the statue was seen. In order to lower it to the ground, modern cranes would be required, so the first assumption was that the statue fell into the mine.

Perhaps for this reason, archaeologists and simply interested people have repeatedly tried to enter the mine. In 1997, a local peasant climbed inside and found gold bars. However, he did not keep them for himself, and, having sold everything he found, he sacrificed them to the gods. Soon he lost his mind.

In 1998, a history buff (now a tour guide) tried to climb inside, but at a depth of 15 meters his flashlight suddenly stopped working. Remembering all those bad rumors, he decided not to risk it and got out. The next day, in the vicinity of Prasat Thom, he met a tiger. Considering this a kind of warning from the gods, he stopped trying to get inside.

However, there are those who were less fortunate - according to information, two Europeans never made it out of the mine. All their safety ropes were broken and their bodies could not be recovered. Also, if rumors are to be believed, the last time Russian diggers went there was in 2010, who discovered that the mine had recently been filled up. Maybe the Cambodian authorities turned their attention to the mysterious disappearances, or maybe otherworldly forces tried again - who knows. But the entrance to the mine was boarded up.

And although the Khmers living nearby claim that there are no living creatures here (it’s a damned place), we still managed to see one of them. The caught water snake, carefully wrapped in a bag, hung right on the tree. A delicacy, however

As you walk around the pyramid, pay attention to the eastern part. According to legend, here is the grave of a white elephant, a sacred animal in Buddhism that personifies royal power. According to legend, the White Elephant had a beautiful daughter, who was kidnapped by the King of Cambodia and proclaimed his queen. The unfortunate father White Elephant desperately tried to find his daughter, but died from his powerless attempts. A mausoleum was built in his honor, which is currently hidden from human eyes by a fence and a sign that says “do not enter.”

By the way, the white elephant (aka albino elephant) is a very real animal. True, their skin is not white at all, but light pink.

Prasat Linga (aka Prasat Thnoeng)

Prasat Linga is a stone structure built around a huge and yoni, which are carved from a monolithic piece of stone. This structure, like Atlanteans, was supported by ancient guards - garudas (half-vulture, half-man) or lions. Now it’s difficult to say, since only fragments of the structure have survived.

Rituals were performed in the ancient sanctuary: a brahmana (priest) poured water onto the linga during the ritual, then the water fell into the yoni (gutter) and, flowing out of it, became holy.

The peculiarity of Prasat Ling is that the yoni passed through the northern wall of the sanctuary, allowing the liquid to flow down a chute outside the building. Common people remained standing outside - the ritual was hidden from their eyes, and must have plunged them into sacred awe.

Oddly enough, all the towers are quite well preserved, and the tree roots that have grown through the ancient brickwork give this place incredible comfort and charm. I didn’t want to leave at all, although my strength was already running low at the end of the day.

This concluded our exciting journey through the Koh Ker temple complex. It was an interesting and memorable day, and we will certainly return here to climb the Prasat Thom pyramid to once again touch the ancient history and legends of Cambodia.

Koh Ker in Cambodia was the capital of the Khmer state from 921 to 941. during the reign of Jayavarman 4. Later the capital was moved to Angkor, and Koh Ker gradually fell into disrepair. Ruins of an ancient city Koh Ker are located 120 km northwest of Siam Reap and are part of the large circle of the Angkor temple complex. That's where it's located Pyramid of Death or Prasat Thom. It is believed that this pyramid symbolizes Mount Meru, ascended from the World Ocean, sacred in the Hindu religion. Therefore, the Prasat Thom pyramid, like most Khmer temples, is surrounded by a moat with water.

Where did the name come from?

Pyramid of Death in Cambodia received its name because of its bloody history. There is an opinion that the ancient rulers of Koh Kera worshiped the dark god Mara, to whom people were sacrificed. They were thrown into the pyramid shaft alive. There are several legends, according to one of which, this pyramid is the gateway to hell. And on the other, a portal between parallel worlds. Tourists who visited the Prasat Thom pyramid report that there is absolute silence in this place. Not a single bird or other small living creature was seen, not even the singing of cicadas was heard. Local residents avoid this place; no one will volunteer to accompany you to the pyramid. Some taxi drivers may agree to take you, but not less than $100.

Stairs to the pyramid

Where is the Pyramid of Death?

The Prasat Thom pyramid is located in the center of the ancient city of Koh Ker behind a dilapidated fence. Its height is 35 m, and the length of each base is 55 m. The pyramid has seven steps, overgrown with lush vegetation. The blocks from which the pyramid is made are fitted very tightly to each other, there are no gaps between them. The surface of the stone is surprisingly smooth, with traces of manual processing. In some places, round holes with a diameter of 8-10 cm were punched in the blocks. These holes were punched, not drilled. Previously, people climbed to the top of the pyramid using an ancient stone staircase. The height of each step was greater than human height, so we had to pull ourselves up to each step. In March 2014, a new, more convenient staircase was built. On each tier of the pyramid there is a cleared area from which it is convenient to explore the surroundings.

It is believed that Pyramid of Death was supposed to serve as a tomb for ruler Jayavarman 4. But for unknown reasons this did not happen. At the top of the pyramid there is a bas-relief of the mythical bird of the god Vishnu - Garuda, carved on one of the stone blocks. The sculptures located on the territory of the temple have not survived. Some of them were destroyed, and some were transported to various museums. The only surviving statue is the head of the sacred bull Nandina.

According to legends, in ancient times there was a huge golden statue at the top of the pyramid. But when Pyramid of Prasat Thom discovered by French researchers, no statue was found there. Currently, at the top of the pyramid there is only a square structure made of stone blocks, at the bottom of which is the entrance to the pyramid shaft. The shaft opening is covered with boards and surrounded by a wooden fence to prevent accidents.

At the moment, attempts to explore the internal structure Pyramids of Death came to nothing, and many of those who tried to enter the mine went missing. They say that at a depth of 15 meters, any equipment stops working there, including lights. And the safety ropes break.

In 2010, Russian researchers visited this pyramid. But at a depth of 8 m, the pyramid shaft was covered with earth.

Get to Pyramids of Death in Cambodia You can only use your own or rented transport. But taxi drivers are extremely reluctant to go there and charge at least $100. The trip takes about 3-3.5 hours from Siam Reap. The road is quite deserted. It is strongly not recommended to move in and out of it, since unexploded mines from the war have been preserved in these places. Entrance to the territory of the Koh Ker temple complex is paid and is $10 per person.