NEAK PEAN
Small temple built by Jayavarman VII in the century with a dry baray. The basins are filled with water at the end of the rainy season.
Built by Jayavarman VII in the mid-12th century, this small temple once stood at the center of the Jayatataka bârây, then attached to the Preah Khan complex. The bârây, now almost dry, resembles a swamp, with its shallow stagnant water and proliferating vegetation. Local farmers come here to water their buffalo. Neak Pean means "the temple of the entangled Nâgas". At the center of this complex were four basins, arranged around a central pool and interconnected by pipes ending in gargoyles located in small chapels (north: elephant, east: man, south: lion, west: horse). Henri Marchal cleared it in the early 1920s. Until 1935, the central temple was entirely covered by an enormous ficus tree. A storm toppled it, destroying the whole structure. M. Glaize then proceeded with a complete anastylosis, restoring the edifice to its original architectural appearance, since the temple had been modified at a later date. Emerging from the basin, a sculpture representing a human cluster clinging to a horse has been identified; it is the Bodhisattva metamorphosed, who abducts, in order to save them, unfortunate castaways stranded on an island inhabited by horrible female demons. Some historians believe the temple represents Anavatapta, the mythical Himalayan lake believed to cure all illnesses. Neak Pean is at its most beautiful at the end of the rainy season, when the pools are full of water.
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Tout autour, splendide végétation sous un ciel changeant qui transporte complètement "ailleurs" , comme dans un monde parallèle.
Une fois arrivé aux bassins, l'enchantement ne nous quitte pas car
rien n'est imposant. Au centre du bassin principal, 'l'île" circulaire entourée de 2 "naga" aux queues entremêlées paraît presque fugitive...
Le lieu est très calme, apaisant, on n'a pas envie d'en partir.
On imagine bien ces princesses qui venaient y déposer leurs ors et encens.
A ne pas manquer donc.