- TURY.CLUB
- Tourist Objects
- Cambodia
- Siem Reap Province
- Ta Phrum Temple
Ta Prum, a Bayon style temple, is believed to have been built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most of the temples of Angkor, Ta Phrum was swallowed up by the jungle. The temple was then partially cleared, but many corners were left in their original natural state, with huge trees growing through the ruins, which is why Ta Prum is so popular with visitors.
Rajavihara ("royal temple"), as it was originally called, was one of the first temples erected in accordance with the massive building and public works program that the king began upon ascending the throne in 1181. Ta Prum was built in honor of the king's family. In the central tower of the temple there was a statue of Prajnaparmita, the goddess of wisdom, with whom the king identified his mother. The northern tower was dedicated to the king's mentor, and the southern one to his elder brother. Essentially, Ta Phrum forms a semantic pair with the Preah Khan temple, where the king's father was represented in the form of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion.
In ancient times, 12,500 people lived on the territory of the monastery (including 18 high priests and 615 dancers). And 80,000 people from the surrounding villages worked and provided them with everything they needed.
