Wat Banan is an Angkorian temple located close to Battambang City and is the best preserved of the Khmer temples in the Province.
Wat Banan is situated on a hill beside the Sangker River and provides excellent 360-degree panoramic views of the countryside of Battambang. It is known for its five distinctive towers modelled on Angkor Wat temple. A trip to this temple is a popular attraction for Battambang’s tourists as well as locals who visit in large numbers, especially on the weekends. At the base of the mountain, is a step laterite staircase flanked by nagas.
The 11th century temple was built by King Udayadityavarman II, son of King Suryavarman 1. It was built to give thanks, ask for help, and pray to the Hindu Gods.
However, Udayadityavarman was Shaivite (worships the God Shiva as being the supreme being) and the sculptures of Phnom Banan are mainly Buddhist. As they were later defaced like those in Angkor, it’s highly likely that the Buddhist temple was the result of a temple rebuilding under Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century.
The Adventure Bike 