About Preah Vihear Temple:
- It is a Hindu temple located in the Preah Vihear Province, in the northern part of Cambodia.
- It is situated atop a cliff on the Cambodia–Thailand border in the Dangrek Mountain range.
- It is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- It was built during the period of the Khmer Empire, in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
- It was built firstly by King Suryavarman I (1002-50) and then expanded upon by Suryavarman II (1113-50).
- It was used by the ancient kings of Angkor for over 800 years.
- After the decline of Hinduism in the region, the temple gradually transformed into a Buddhist monument, which is why it features some Buddhist decorations.
- Due to its location, the Preah Vihear temple has been at the heart of the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand since the 19th and 20th centuries.
- In 1904, both countries signed a treaty granting Cambodia the right to occupy the temple.
- However, the Thai government contested the treaty and took control of the site.
- This led to a public protest by Cambodians in 1959.
- To resolve the issue, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled in 1960, affirming Cambodia's ownership of the temple.
- In July 2008, Preah Vihear was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Architecture:
- It is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture.
- The temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases.
- It features more than five successive gopuras.
- Unlike other structures of this kind, the gopuras here are connected by a long path and topped with multi-tiered platforms.
- Some of these gopuras have stone roofs, while others have wooden roofs.
