Ancient Ishanapura

The archaeological site of Sambor Prei Kuk (SPK), “the temple in the richness of the forest” in the Khmer language, has been identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the Chenla Empire (Chenla Kingdom) that flourished in the late 6th and early 7th till 9th centuries CE. It is located in Kampong Thom Province, 30 km (19 miles) north of Stung Sen city, 176 km (109 miles) east of Angkor and 206 (128 miles) north of Phnom Penh. In and around the site, there are seven village: Atsu, Sambor, Kampong Cheuteal, Po Tret, O Kruke, and Cheay Sampou. 

The vestiges of the city cover an area of 25 square kilometers and include a walled city center as well as numerous temples, ten of which are octagonal, unique specimens of their genre in southeast Asia, still maintaining special characteristic structures such as brick shrines, causeways, moat surrounding the citadel, canal, etc. Decorated sandstone elements in the site are characteristic of the pre-Angkor decorative idiom, known as the Sambor Prei Kuk Style. Some of these elements, including lintels, pediments, and colonnades, are true masterpieces. The art and architecture developed here became models for other parts of the region and lay the ground for the unique Khmer style of the Angkor period.

The ancient city of Ishanapura is the capital of Chenla Kingdom. Chenla Kingdom was a former vassal of the Funan kingdom; however, it gradually expanded its supremacy and eventually King Citrasena Mahendravarman “ព្រះរាជាចិន្ត្រសេនមហេន្ទ្រាវរ្ម័ន”​ of Chenla proclaimed his independence having conquered the Kingdom of Funan.

According to several documents, this archaeological features in these groups of temples are said to have founded by King Isanavarman I (who reigned over the Chenla Kingdom between 616 and 637 A.D., the son of King Citrasena Mahendravarman. But there are a few kings reigned over this site, including King Bhavavarman I (550-600 A.D.), King Citrasena Mahendravarman (600-616 A.D.), and Bhavavarman II (638-657 A.D.) also seemed to have settled at least in the vicinity. Moreover, this site was sometimes identified as the Baladityapura “បាលទិត្យវបុរៈ” which was the capital of Jayavarman I, the last important king in Chenla Kingdom, whose death caused turmoil to the kingdom at the start of the 8th century. The complex is obviously was the royal city or center of power of at least four kings and many of the monuments in this site were constructed during this period. Most of the decorative elements in architecture and sculpture are classified as Sambor Prei Kuk style.

The latest evidence from further investigation and verification shows that there are various activities during the Angkorian period, even though the site is usually known only as the capital city of the pre-Angkorian period. For instance, the decorative details of Prasat Tor (Central Group) are similar to the style of the remains belong to the period of the King Jayavarman II, who founded a new state that is now referred as Angkor in the 9^th century. Furthermore, some inscriptions in Prasat Sambor (North Group) are dated in the 10^th century during the reign of king Rajendravarman II. To the north of Prasat Sambor Group, Prasat Robang Romeas contains other inscriptions of the King Suryavarman I period.

Various new data in terms of inscriptions, statues, ornamented stone artefacts, traces of building renovations, as well as unearthed objects points out that many temples were built in the late 6^th and the early 7^th century, and the large-scale renovation campaign occurred in the 10^th century. Moreover, evidence indicated an occupation after the 10^th century during the late Angkor periods.  

The ancient site of Ishanpura is classified into three main groups Each group has a square layout surrounded by a brick wall such as group C for Central, N for North and S for South. Normally, they are enclosed in a double-walled encircling 1,000 acre and its layout consists likely the geometric plan of a Mandala. There are 150 Hindu temples today mostly in ruins with the detail decorative elements and unique motifs appear in the carvings on pedestals, lintels, on the door frames, and on the Flying Palace which are carved on the exterior wall of brick shrines.

1. Group N (Sambor Temple Group): Prasat Sambor is considered the main temple and it dates from the 7th century. It was dedicated to one of the reincarnations of Shiva known as Gamhireshvara.
2. Group S (Yeay Poan Temple Group): Prasat Yeah Poan comprised a total of 22 sanctuaries (5 have octagonal shapes) with two wall rampart, and was built of brick, masonry, laterite, and sandstone in the rectangular form in the 7th century (600-635) during the reign of Isanavarman I to dedicated to Shiva. They were built on a hill with Gopura from the eastern and western entrances joining to an outside laterite rampart. The inner rampart reached by gateways from the four directions and joined to the brick rampart carved in various clustering figures.
3. Group C (Lion Temple Group): It is occupied by the Central Sanctuary or Prasat Boram with lion sculptures that had inspired the popular name of Prasat Tor (The Lions’ Temple). It is, however, the newest group dating the 9th century. The other main feature is the Tower of Ashram Issey, but there were also other constructions (18 temples) now in ruin.

According to the report of the Waseda University, the precious site has eroded gravely through time and destruction caused by man and wars. However, since the late of 19th century, site has undergone a series of interventions and the following activities have occurred at the site:

• The École française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO) has been participating in the site of Sambor Prei Kuk in a variety of disciplines of study, performing urgent intervention work such as support installation and clearance work. Their conservation efforts have focused primarily on the southern group (S group), which includes towers S2, S7, and S11, among others.
• Angkor Conversation Office (ACO): Following the civil war, ACO resumed conservation activities at SPK from 1994 to 1996. The intervention work at Prasat Tor, the refurbishment of the site conservation office, and the collection of scattered statues and antiquities have all been noted.
• The World Food Program (WFP) worked at SPK from 1994 to 2002, clearing the monument complex and building access roads to the temples.
• Waseda University first became involved in the preservation of the SPK site in 1998, and the maintenance program began in 2001. This new partner’s primary focus is on maintenance, awareness raising, encouraging collaborative work between concerned organizations and government agencies, and defending local communities that are guardians of custom, culture and history. This later study also produced a Royal Degree designating the historic city’s zoning to be protected.
• The Royal Government has established the following legal documents for the conservation and development of sustainable resort areas: First Royal Decree No. NS / RKOT / 0303/116, dated March 13, 2003, designating the Sambor Prei Kuk resort area for the purpose of preserving the cultural heritage in terms of archeology, nationality, ethnography, history and resort value. To better protect and preserve the landscape, culture, environment and tourism development; Royal Decree No. NS / RKT / 1214/1488 dated 24 December 2003 on the revision of Article 4, Article 5 and Article 7 of the Royal Decree No. NS / RKT / 0303/116 March 13, 2003 Demarcation of the Sambor Prei Kuk resort area. – Royal Decree No. NS / RKT / 1214/1488 dated 24 December 2003 on the revision of Article 4, Article 5 and Article 7 of the Royal Decree No. NS / RKT / 0303/116 March 13, 2003 Demarcation of the Sambor Prei Kuk resort area. Royal Decree No. NS / RKOT / 0715/810 dated 31 July 2015 on the organization and functioning of the National Authority for the Protection and Development of Cultural Resorts of Sambor Prei Kuk Temple; Sub-Decree No. 117, dated September 10, 2015, on the organization and functioning of the General Department of the National Authority for the Protection and Development of Cultural Resorts of Sambor Prei Kuk Temple. Sub-Decree No. 03, dated January 4, 2017, on the organization and management of Sambor Prei Kuk resort.

Later the Lon Nol’s coup d’état to Prince Norodom Sihanouk in 1970, US President Richard Nixon ordered a secret bombing of Cambodia to fight the Khmer Rouge guerrillas and any influence of North Vietnam in the country. The US aircraft bombed positions inside the archeological site, causing craters near the temples, while the guerrillas left several mines on the land that were cleared only in 2008. Furthermore, this site was also added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on January 1, 1992 in the Cultural category. On July 8, 2017, Sambor Prei Kuk temple was officially inscribed as World Heritage site by UNESCO as “Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura” in Krakow, Poland.

The area of SPK, together with Phom Penh, the Angkor Heritage Site, and Preah Vihear temple, is an important tourist destination. SPK has been open to visitors and tourists both locally and internationally since 1996. Because of its archeological and historical value, as well as its distinctive and notable features, this place has become one of the most appealing cultural attractions for both international tourists and domestic excursionists and visitors.