Lolei

Lolei is a temple in the Angkor region, the historical center of the Khmer kingdom Kambuja. It is located in the Cambodian province of Siem Reap, about 12 km east of the town of Siem Reap. Along with the temples of Preah Ko and Bakong is the Lolei, named after the nearby village of Roluos, " Roluos Group" attributed. The name Lolei may be a shortened form of Hariharalaya, the name of the former capital of the kingdom, which was in the area of the present village Roluos.

History and Significance

Lolei I. was built during the reign of King Yasovarman and consecrated according to an inscription on a stele on 8 July 893. Dedicated he was to the memory of King Indravarman I., the father Yasovarmans I., and other ancestors of the king.

Originally the building was situated on a flat artificial island of 90 by 80 meters in the middle of the Indratataka, a pent-up water basin ( khmer: Baray ) with a length of 3800 m and a width of 800 m, which is dried up today. The construction of this water reservoir was begun during the reign of King Indravarman I. and largely completed. Under Yasovarman I, the capital of Hariharalaya about 15 kilometers to the north-west to the Phnom Bakheng ( Khmer: Phnom means hill ) relocated, the northern embankment of Indratataka was completed and finally the temple Lolei, the most northern and the last of the great temple of Roluos group, built on the island in the middle of the water basin.

The central sanctuary consists of four tower blocks ( Prasat ) with square base area of 6 meters each side in two rows. In contrast to the six towers of the temple of Preah Ko, which Lolei the same in style, these are four easy angeordndet asymmetrically on the face of the temple area, suggesting that there was originally two more were planned.

The towers were mostly built of adobe. Represent parts of the facades, like the blind doors ( carved out of stone closed doors ), door frames, lintels, pediments and reliefs of gods and ( Guardian ) demons figures from Hindu mythology, were carved out of sandstone.

Today, of the four towers are only two largely intact, one is dilapidated and the Fourth collapsed in 1968. The end of 2012 were works in progress to restore this tower again. The outer wall surrounding the plant with its four Gopuram, and which borders the temple area from the surrounding water, is practically forfeited in its entirety.

On the site now houses a Buddhist monastery.