Bat Chum Temple consisted of three separate brick towers. Now only ruins remain of them, but, nevertheless, it is still possible to form a general impression of their former magnificence. The towers, like other temples, stand on a platform and are turned to the East.
The uniqueness of Bat Chum lies in the fact that it is a Buddhist temple, although it was built in the middle of the X century, in an era when Judaism dominated here. Inscriptions about who built it have survived on the door jambs to this day. The architect was Kavindrarimathana (Kavindrarimathana), who, as archaeologists suggest, also built other Angkor sites - the royal bathing pool Sra Srang and, possibly, the temple Pre Rup.
Among these inscriptions, some curious phrases can also be made out. You will be surprised, but even in the X century there were prohibitory signs of their own, like our "Do not park cars at the gate." Only in ancient times they were addressed to elephant drivers, saying, "Do not leave elephants unattended, or they may get hurt."
The entrance to the central tower was guarded by stone lions, but now only one of them remains. A stone slab decorated with elegant carvings hangs above the entrance. Inside, the space is very cramped, but local residents still pray in them to this day.
Bat Chum Temple is part of the so-called Grand Circuit. But in the noisy crowd of tourists, it is very difficult to absorb the spirit of antiquity and the grandeur of the structures, so experienced travelers recommend starting the Grand Circuit by moving in the direction opposite to the general flow of visitors. This way you will have the opportunity to visit the temples practically without outsiders.
