Preah Ko stands in the Roluos group of temples east of Siem Reap, in the region associated with Hariharalaya, an early Khmer capital before Angkor’s later urban center took shape. Its name is commonly translated as “Sacred Bull,” but the site is more than a picturesque stop on a temple circuit. APSARA National Authority describes it as an early royal temple whose design joined Hindu worship with dynastic commemoration. The six brick towers, set on a shared platform, make the compact complex legible at a glance while inviting a closer look at its materials and sculpture.
APSARA attributes the temple to King Indravarman I and says it was dedicated to Shiva and the king’s ancestors. Its own profile gives two closely spaced dates: an introductory note marks a dedication on 25 January 880, while the history section says it was dedicated in 879. Rather than hide that discrepancy, it is safer to describe Preah Ko as a late ninth-century monument associated with Indravarman I. The central eastern sanctuary commemorated Jayavarman II under the name Paramesvara, while the flanking towers were dedicated to members of Indravarman’s family.
