Pre Rup
The Shiva consecrated pyramid temple Pre Rup (Khmer: ប្រាសាទប្រែរូប ), located near the Cambodian town of Siem Reap, is the most important Angkortempel of the 10th century.
History
As Jayavarman IV was in the year 928 King of the entire Khmer Empire, he moved the capital of Angkorreichs about 100 km to the northeast to Koh Ker. Even his successor Harshavarman II ( 941-944 ) resided in Koh Ker. King Rajendravarman II (reigned 944-968 ), a cousin Harshavarmans II, moved back to Angkor, but not to the Phnom Bakheng, but a few miles away to the East Baray. He had restored the former capital of the island and Yasodharapura Eastern Mebon temple building, which was inaugurated in 952. Nine years later and 500 meters south of its state temple, the pyramid temple Pre Rup was dedicated. This has a similar plan as the Eastern Mebon, but is more complex and colorful. The Pre Rup turn served as a model for the far larger " temple mountain " Ta Keo and Angkor Wat.
Architecture
On the East introduces today largely by leading from the street repressed causeway closer to the building. On an area of 127 to 117 m, a two- layer terrace and a three steep pyramid (height 12 m), it rise five Prasat called towers, arranged in quincunx, so how the five points on a cube face. The materials of construction, from bottom to top, are laterite, sandstone and brick.
From the four cardinal directions one can see the four sides of the system and increases each centered above paragraphs provided with stairs on the central tower to significantly increased. This architecture symbolized in their orientation harmony with heaven and earth, in structure to the center and upward path leading to the gods who live on Mount Meru.
Other elements are in particular five brick towers and a chain of halls on the lower terrace level, two so-called libraries and other buildings on the upper terrace level and twelve smaller towers on the lowest pyramid level.
Architectural decoration
Pre Rup is significant because of his voice and style- architecture, not because of its architectural decoration. The quality of sand stone reliefs and the few preserved stucco on the towers, however, is consistently remarkable. The corners of the central tower and the east towers are male, provided the corners of the western towers with female guardian figures. The southwest tower is Brahmi, the female principle of Brahma ( four heads, four arms ), and Varahi, a female incarnation of Vishnu ( boar's head ).
Tourism
Who wants to visit Pre Rup, must present an Angkor temple pass. The point of sale this one-, three -and seven- day passes are located on the road between Siem Reap and Angkor Wat.
Pre Rup is not overrun by tourists and well suited to tune into larger or more detailed temples. The view from the highest pyramid level to the surrounding area is rightly considered particularly beautiful: The sun sets behind rice fields, water buffalo grazing and the jungle.