Phnom Da History - Da Mountain History in Cambodia

Located in Takeo province, south of Phnom Penh. See the Nearby Phnom Penh Map.

Angkor Borei is a town in Takeo province in the area of several ruins and archaeological digs. The area has been continuously inhabited for at least 2500 years and has yielded

artifacts dating from the Neolithic period, the Funan period (4th/5th century AD) and Chenla (8th century AD) as well as the later Angkorian period (9th-15th century AD.) There are no significant temple ruins atAngkor Borei but there is a very interesting little museum displaying artifacts from the area and providing information on recent archaeological digs.

About 20km from Angkor Borei is the hill of Phnom Da, crowned by an impressive 11th century Angkorian-era brick and sandstone prasat (tower) displaying some carvings in good condition. This structure was probably an upgrade of an previously existing 7th or 8th century structure. The temple was constructed under King Rudravarman and dedicated to Shiva.

Further down the hill is the unique little temple ruin Ashram Maha Rosei, quite unlike other Khmer monuments in both design and adornment. The unique design is reminiscent of Prasat Ashram Isay in the Sambor Prey Kuk group in Kampong Thom. Ashram Maha Rosei was constructed of basalt stone and built in the late 7th-early 8th century (perhaps earlier), during the pre-Angkorian Chenla period, under Bahavavarman. The design and adornments shows signs of non-Khmer influence. In the 5th Edition of herAngkor guidebook, Dawn Rooney suggests that the architecture of the Ashram is “derived from the temples on the Dieng Plateu in Java and from those in southern India fused with Khmer preferences.”

Getting there: During the dry season, Phnom Da can be reached by road or boat. In the wet season, it can only be reached by boat.

By road from Phnom Penh: Take the Takeo City bound bus to the Phnom Chisor turnoff (52km from Phnom Penh.) The Phnom Chisor turnoff is well marked. Take a motodup or taxi to Phnom Chisor and then on to Phnom Da. Two hours on a rough road.

By boat, take the bus from Phnom Penh to Takeo City. At the rivers edge in Takeo City, pick up a boat to Angkor Borei and Phnom Da. The boat will first travel to Angkor Borei and stop to allow you to visit the museum, and then continue on to Phnom Da. During the wet season the boat can take you right to the base of Phnom Da but in the dry season the boat will stop well short of the hill and will have to hike a ways. $25 r/t for the whole boat.

Phnom Da is located in the Angkor Borei district very close to the border to Vietnam. It is about 100 km south of Phnom Penh and 24 km east of Ta Keo town. There is a regular boat service between Angkor Borei and Ta Keo town. Phnom Da is a hill, but the surrounding area can be flooded and access may be difficult during the rainy season.

“Phnom Da” is the name for the first art style period in pre-Angkorian times.

Phnom Da is not touristically, but historically an important site as it was the capital of the so-called Funan civilization, which was the leading trade empire and one of the first highly developed indianized states in Southeast Asia. It was dominant in the area of present-day Cambodia and southern Vietnam from the 2nd to the middle of the 7th century. This is the reason why Angkor Borei with Phnom Da is listed as a World Heritage Site aspirant. Not much remains from those Funan times on and around the hill of Phnom Da, because buildings and temples were built of wood. Sculptures of the Phnom Da style should be studied in the National Museum in Phnom Penh or in the Guimet Museum in Paris. Some more works of art are exposed in Siem Reap’s Angkor Museum. There is also a small museum in Angkor Borei.
A first stone temple on top of the Phnom Da hill was built during a later Funan period called Norkor Phnom period. Funan’s well-known King Rudravarman is said to be the founder of this temple in the first half of the 6th century. But the temple on top of the Phnom Da hill that can be visited today is from a much later period, it was reconstructed estimately in the 12th century. The temple is 12 meters square. The temple is open to the north, it has false doors on the three other sides. It was constructed of laterite and brick. Doors and false doors also use sandstone. The temple’s roof is damaged, but still of impressing height, 18 meters. A stone carving depicting the Churning of the Milk Ocean is broken into two parts. A lintel illustrates the sleeping Vishnu creating the world.

In the flank of the hill are five artificial caves. About 300 meters southwest of the temple is another smaller temple known as Asrom Moha Asei or Asrom Taa Asey. It was built at the end of the 7th century, which alread is the Zhenla time known from Chinese source. King Pavavarman I is said to be the founder. Asrom Moha Asei is 5.5 meters square and 7 meters high.