Phnom Preah Reach Troap

About

Phnom Preah Reach Troap served as the capital of Cambodia between 1618 and 1868. Scattered across the mountaintop are towering tombs of Cambodia’s kings, and a beautiful stupa said to house relics from the Buddha himself. However, Phreah Reach Traop Mountain is best known for the vihara of the 18 Cubit Buddha - which faced North instead of the usual East. The imposing monument was mostly destroyed by fighting during the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, and now only sections of the walls, the enormous eight column base, and the right arm of the Buddha remain. The base of the ridge also has a memorial in honor of Pol Pot’s victims found in the area’s 100 mass graves. Please note: it’s about 500 steps to reach the top of the mountain.