The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.
Sambor Prei Kuk, Kampong Thom · 12.8778°, 105.0439°
Ishanapura, capital of Chenla — the temple city that came two centuries before Angkor, its brick sanctuaries (including unique octagonal towers) showing Indian temple ideas taking Khmer root. Here the flying-palace reliefs and inscribed Sanskrit foundations document Southeast Asia's creative absorption of the Indic world; UNESCO-listed in 2017.
What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.
Chinese envoys of the Sui court described Isanavarman's audience hall and five-day court cycle — the first outside portrait of a Khmer royal capital, matching the brick towers still standing in the 'forest of temples' (prei kuk).
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chenla
Answers only from cited records
Opening the line…