Prasat Khao Lon
Prasat Khao Lon is a well-polished brick temple in Khmer architectural style located in Charoensuk Village, Taprach sub-district, Tapraya district, Sakaeo province. The sanctuary faces to the east consists of the three towers at the center. The towers arrange from north to south over the lotus base. The center tower is bigger than the other towers.
Prasat Khao Lon after an excavation.
There is only one door on the east side of each tower can be entered, the other doors are false doors. Inside the hall of each tower enshrined religions sculpture but the pedestals were only found. The upper part of the towers might have been four tiers in different sizes. Each tier served as a base for the upper tier. During an excavation, many pieces of architectural fragments made of sandstone were found. They are assumed to had been decorated on each tier.
Pieces of architectural fragments
Reconstructed sketch of the main towers
There is a Bannaraya or library faces to the west at the southeast of the main towers. It was a place for a brahmin to learned sacred books or enshrined religious sculptures. The main towers and the library are surrounded by the wall. There are three gates or Gopuras at the east, south and west side of the wall. The east gate is biggest and it is only one entrance.
Library (left) and east gate (right) after an excavation
Plan of Prasat Khao Lon
The plan of Prasat Khao Lon is a style of Khmer architecture built around the 11th century in the Bapuan style as can be found in several locations in Thailand, for instance, Prasat Thong, Buriram province and Prasat Sadok Kok Thom, Sakaeo province.
Prasat Khao Lon located at the top of a sandstone mountain. Sandstones were brought to construct the foundation of the sanctuary and the walkway. There is a reservoir or Baray at the foothill. The rampart of the reservoir was built across the canal to collect water for the sanctuary and village around it.
Prasat Khao Lon before an excavation.
Prasat Khao Lon was built approximately early 11th century. There are the inscriptions that mentioned 1016 AD. on the doorframes, during the reign of King Suryavarman I. This discovery conforms with the early Bapuan style lintel. The lintel depicts a deity or devata sitting over a Kala face that disgorging garland. Kala is a mythical devil who protecting the sanctuary from evil, usually decorated over the gate of the sanctuary.
Lintel of Prasat Khao Lon
Source: http://asianart.emuseum.com [Accessed: 1 April 2020]
The east side of the main tower used to decorate with doorframes, octagonal pillars and lintel made of sandstone. At the moment, the lintel is found on display in museum in the United States, which the Fine Arts Department is proceeding to retrieve the lintel back to Thailand.
The east facet of the main tower
Source: Diskul, S., M.C., (1967) Lopburi Art. Bangkok: Fine Art Department.
According to the Royal Gazette no 106, chapter 112, dated July 16th, 1989, The Fine Art Department announced that this monument has been listed as the nation’s historic site.
