Prasat Sambor

Prasat Sambor, also called Group C, is the northernmost and largest of the three main temple groups within the Sambor Prei Kuk complex in Kampong Thom province. The group is centered on a large octagonal brick sanctuary tower dedicated to Shiva, surrounded by a series of smaller subsidiary towers, enclosure walls, and gopura gateways. The main tower is notable for its unusual octagonal plan, a rare form in Khmer architecture found almost exclusively at Sambor Prei Kuk. Brick carvings on the tower facades depict scenes from Hindu mythology in a style reflecting the early Chenla artistic tradition, with figures of devatas and decorative foliate patterns in good condition considering their 7th-century origin. The forest canopy and relative quiet give the group a contemplative atmosphere.