Phimeanakas, 910, perhaps originally built by a minister of Yashovarman I and dedicated to Shiva - or perhaps built by Yashovarman himself (not known for sure). The central tower and was built by King Suryavarman I (r. 1011-1050), and possibly the vaulted gallery as well.

Description

The Phimeanakas lies due north of Phnom Bakheng and was the pyramid-temple for the royal palace compound. It is situated in the eastern area of the palace with the actual wooden palace itself once located behind the Phimeanakas, to the west. It has always been assumed that the Phimeanakas was the "private chapel" for each royal family. It has three laterite terraces with stairways on each side, and one central tower (now only the door jambs remain). At some time before or after 1000 A.D., a vaulted sandstone corridor was added around the upper level. The corridor has such a low vaulting that it barely clears one's head. Excavations have indicated there was probably an enclosing wall around the monument, and two ponds in front of it, flanking the eastern axis.

There are remains of many long-lost structures in the ground around the Phimeanakas. These remains show charred wood and fused metal - at some point, there was a great fire here. The remains start about 3 m. in front of the east side of the monument. There was once a terrace just in front of the south stairway of the temple. Laterite flagstones were found 2.6 m. below current ground level. No remaining structures were found in association with these flagstones, except for the terrace on the south. In all, there were three different levels of underground remains around the Phimeanakas.

The upper part and central tower of the Phimeanakas is reconstructed. The sanctuary was given door jambs from a Vaishnava temple. The temple of Vishnu in the inscription on the door jamb may have been one of the sanctuaries at Phnom Bakheng. However, the eminent French epigraphist Claude Jacques has postulated that the current Phimeanakas is built over an original Vishnu temple, dedicated by a minister of Yashovarman I (named in the doorway inscription). This issue is unresolved at present.