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Prasat Sakamphaeng Yai | Sisaket Province

Prasat Sakamphaeng Yai | Sisaket Province
Prasat Sra Kamphaeng Yai, or Prasat Si Phrutthes, is located within the grounds of Wat Sra Kamphaeng Yai. It is another Khmer temple in Sisaket worth visiting. It is believed to have been built between the mid- to late-16th-century Buddhist era, making it over 1,000 years old. Among the many valuable artifacts within the grounds of Prasat Sra Kamphaeng Yai are a lintel depicting Shiva Nataraja and Krishna lifting Mount Kovardhana. In 1989, a large bronze sculpture measuring 140 centimeters high was discovered, representing the late Bapuan Khmer style.
Located within the grounds of Wat Sra Kamphaeng Yai, Tambon Sra Kamphaeng Yai, Amphoe Uthumphon Phisai, this ancient site reflects the glory of Khmer culture in the past and is an important historical and archaeological learning center in the Northeast.
History and Significance
Based on archaeological evidence, it is assumed that Prasat Sra Kamphaeng Yai was built around the 16th-century Buddhist era during the reign of King Suryavarman I of the Khmer Empire as a Hindu temple. The Shaivism sect dedicated to the worship of Shiva was later transformed into a Mahayana Buddhist temple around the 18th century.
Architecture and Art
The temple complex is built in the style of late Bapuan Khmer to early Angkor Wat. It consists of a main complex surrounded by a covered gallery and gopuras (gateways) on all four sides.
The main prang consists of three prangs, situated on a single pedestal facing east. The central main prang is constructed of sandstone, while the two flanking prangs are constructed of brick. Notable features include the beautifully carved lintels and pediments depicting Hindu deities, such as the image of Vishnu reclining on the ocean above the serpent king Ananta, and the image of Shiva and Uma seated on the bull Usubharaja (Nandi).
The library: This rectangular brick building is located in front of the main prang, presumably used to store religious scriptures.
The gallery and gopuras surround the main prang. Built of laterite and sandstone, it features entrance arches on all four sides.
Important Antiquities
Through excavations and restoration work by the Fine Arts Department, numerous important antiquities have been discovered. The most notable is the bronze sculpture of Nandikesvara, a uniquely gilded bronze figure standing 140 centimeters tall (including the 180 centimeter base). This rare masterpiece is currently on display at the Phimai National Museum in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. A lintel depicting Krishna lifting Mount Kovardhana and a Naga-protected Buddha image have also been discovered.
Address: Wat Srakamphaeng Yai, Village No. 1, Pradit Pracharat Road, Srakamphaeng Yai Subdistrict, Uthumphon Phisai District Sisaket Province
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/gWt9LaVu5qpPjgSNA
Open: 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM