Backpacking Prasat Phnom Chisor ប្រាសាទភ្នំជីសូរ in Takeo Province, Cambodia 2025

There is an ancient Khmer temple, Prasat Phnom Chisor (Khmer: ប្រាសាទភ្នំជីសូរ ) (or Phnom Chisor Temple, sometimes referred to just Phnom Chisor) located on top of the hill. The temple was built in the 11th century of laterite and bricks with carved sandstone lintels by the Khmer Empire king Suryavarman I,: 136 [3]: 96  who practiced Brahmanism. It was dedicated to the Hindu divinities Shiva and Vishnu. The original name of the temple was Sri Suryaparvata (Khmer: សុរ្យបវ៌ត), or The Mountain of Surya[varman] (The mountain of the Sun). On the east edge of the mountain, at the back of the temple, there is a prime spot for view and pictures where you can see a vast plain of surrounding rice fields and countryside. From there, looking down to the east can see an avenue that forms a straight line connecting three main features including two outer gates (temples) of cruciform ground plan and a baray: Sen Nimol Temple (Khmer: ប្រាសាទសែននិមល(?)): now heavily grown, situated just below the mountain; Sen Roveang Temple (Khmer: ប្រាសាទសែនរវាំង or សែនភូវាំង): a stately building now used as a Buddhist sanctuary about 800m from Sen Nimol Temple; Tonle Om (Khmer: ទន្លេអុំ): the ancient baray of Phnom Chisor Temple.