Phnom Chisor Temple

Phnom Chisor Temple is an 11th-century Angkorian sanctuary perched on a long sandstone ridge rising 140 meters above the surrounding rice plains of Takeo province, approximately 55 kilometers south of Phnom Penh. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman I and originally known as Suryagiri or Sun Mountain, the temple is dedicated to Shiva and faces east toward a ceremonial avenue flanked by two ancient walled ponds that stretches dramatically toward the horizon below. The main sanctuary retains its central tower and enclosure walls with carved lintels and pediments in varying states of preservation, and an active Buddhist pagoda occupies the compound alongside the ancient structures. A steep stairway of several hundred steps climbs the eastern face of the hill, flanked by vendors and with wide views opening up as visitors near the summit.