East Mebon

Built during the reign of Khmer King Rajendravarman II, East Mebon is a 10th-century Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It stands north of the king’s chief state temple Pre Rup on a small island in the now-dry East Baray reservoir. The temple has five towers arranged in a quincunx representing the five peaks of Mount Meru.

The lintels on the uppermost level tiers have Lord Indra on the east on his three-headed elephant Airavata, Lord Skanda on the west on his peacock, and Lord Shiva on his sacred Nandi Bull. The central sanctuary on the third level is dedicated to a sacred Lingam consecrated by the King, while the outer four shrines are for Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, and Brahma. Lion heads line the staircase to each tier. Massive monolithic elephants guard the first and second tiers as well. The elephant figurine on the southwest corner is in the best condition and is an excellent spot for photoshoots. The rest of the temple is adorned with many other Hindu deities and motifs typical to all the temples of Angkor.