East Mebon was constructed circa the 10th century by king Rajendravarman in the middle of an island on the Eastern Baray in Siem Reap. The temple was dedicated to the king’s parents.
History
After Jayavarman IV moved the capital from Angkor to Koh Ker in 928AD, Rajendravarman II who ascended to the throne 16 years later, brought it back. It was after this that he set about constructing East Mebon. The temple was dedicated to Shiva in memory of the king’s parents.
Architecture
The temple is said to have been quite a feat of architecture during its heyday. With a pyramid structure and three storeys held together by 5 towers. The temple is said to represent Mount Meru which is the Hindu equivalent of heaven. There are formidable examples of Khmer architecture with regard to the cardinal directions and orientation. Excavations have discovered that it was once covered in a lime-based plaster.
The Mountain-like Temple
The mountain-like ruins of Mebon are about 30 minutes’ drive from FCC Angkor Siem Reap so you could spend the nights there or any other of the Angkor Wat hotels and make an early morning journey to visit the mountain temple. The Eastern Baray was once an artificial lake and the temple was situated on an island in the middle of it.