Preah Pithu (or Prasat Preah Pithu), a group of five temples (in fact, they were, in all probability, not designed as a group) identified by letters: T, U, V, W and X, are located north-east of the Bayon and the Terrace of the Leper King and in front of Tep Pranam. Except for Temples “T” and “U,” they weren’t built in the same period so there is no apparent order. The first four temple letters are Hindu while “X” is a Buddhist temple that remained unfinished and is probably the latest.

Check out “Bayon Temple” and “Terrace of the Leper King”

Preah Pithu

Not much is known about the Preah Pithu temple group. It’s thought that they were built, in the art style of Angkor Wat,  in the first half of the 12th century (parts of the 13th century) during the reign of kings Suryavarman II (reigned 1113-1150) and Jayavarman VIII. It’s thought that Preah Pithu was abandoned in the 16th century, along with the other temples in the area.

Check out “Angkor Wat“

Quite for sure, they were built together as they are on the same W-E axis and are oriented to the west.  They have a cruciform terrace on two levels, with nāga balustrades as entrance. An often dry single moat surrounds some of the temples.

From Bayon, Violet, Osang and I headed north. Continuing past the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King  heading towards the North Gate, we saw a small group of market stalls on the right sidel. Heading between the two groups of market stalls, we first saw Temples “T.” and “U.”  Temples “T” and “U” were on the same east-west axis, share a single moat and are both oriented to the west which is unusual for Khmer temples. To the north is Temple “V” and to the east we saw Temples “X” and “Y.”

The temples were first cleaned by Jean Commaille in 1908, then by Henri Marchal from 1918 to 1920. Only recently, the Preah Pithu complex has been cleared, made safe and opened to visitors. However, the five temples are in a bad condition, their upper levels ruined, but their interesting, decorative carvings are good and the site is rather peaceful, semi-wooded and scarcely crowded.

Temple “T” has a 45 by 40 m. sandstone enclosure with two gopuras (entrance buildings) on the main W-E axis. The sanctuary, on a 3-level, 6 m. high ornated platform, has a chamber which shelters a large linga on its pedestal. The walls are decorated with Bayon-style devatas and floral motifs. On the ground, the fragments of the lintel of the western door show a stylized depiction of the “Churning of the Sea of Milk.”

The author. Behind him is a glimpse of Temple “T”

Temple “U,” very similar in design to Temple “T”(but smaller and simpler), has a 35 by 28 m. enclosure with no gopura (entrance buildings). The lintel of the west door shows the Trimurti, with Shiva dancing on a kala-head between Vishnu and Brahma. The internal walls are sculpted with dvarapalas. The blind arches, at the base of pillars, are typical of Angkor Wat period. The northern lintel has another depiction of the “Churning of the Sea of Milk.”

Temple “V,” outside the residual moat and north of Temple “U,” is oriented to the east, where it opens with a double vestibule and has no enclosure. On the west side is a causeway which ends with a 40 m. long cruciform terrace, leading into the northeast corner of the Royal Square. Its sanctuary chamber, standing on two-tier sculpted basement, is the largest of the group, having a square side of 3.80 m. and hosting a large 1.5 m linga. Its external decorations, in the Angkor Wat style, are incomplete. The sanctuary tower, sitting on a two-tiered platform, has decorations in the Angkor Wat style.

Temple “Y,” standing on an earthen platform, north of Temple “V,” has no basement or stairways. Dated between Angkor Wat and Bayon, it is oriented to the east.  The temple has a long mandapa as entrance linked by a vestibule to a 3.5 by 3.0 m. sanctuary chamber, which hosted a 0.95 m. tall linga. The larger, mostly collapsed chamber has two remarkable half-frontons, on its western side, which depict the defeat of the asura Bana by Hindu god Krishna to the north and the three giant steps of Vamana to the south. Temple “Y” was also unfinished.

Temple “X,” a Buddhist temple, may have even been built as late as the 14th century.  It is similar in design to the other temples but its carvings are incomplete. Inside the sanctuary tower are carvings of Buddha and Buddhist motifs.

Though nothing compared to the more popular temples in the area, Preah Pithu does get quite a lot of visitors because of its beautiful carvings, some of the finest found in the Angkor Archaeological Park.  The surrounding forest also makes for a very pleasant and peaceful experience.

Preah Pithu: Angkor Thom, Cambodia