Neak Pean

Neak Pean, meaning Entwined Serpents, is a small but symbolically rich 12th-century Buddhist island temple built by Jayavarman VII in the center of the Jayatataka baray, one of Angkor's great artificial reservoirs. The central sanctuary sits on a circular island surrounded by four smaller square pools, each connected by gargoyle-head channels that once dispensed medicinal water for ritual healing. The two nagas, or serpents, coiled around the base of the island give the temple its name. In the dry season, a raised wooden walkway allows visitors to approach across the exposed lake bed, offering striking reflections in the remaining water and an intimate view of the temple's delicate carvings and symbolic architecture.