Jayavarman II is widely regarded as the king that set the foundation of the Angkor period in Cambodian history, beginning with the grandiose consecration ritual conducted by Jayavarman II (reign 790-850) in 802 on sacred Mount Mahendraparvata, now known as Phnom Kulen, to celebrate the independence of Kambuja from Javanese dominion.
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Later he brought pressure on local Khmer leaders located to the west, but they fought back and drove him to seek refuge on the summit of present-day Phnom Kulen, about 50 kilometers east of Angkor, where the Brahman declared the independent state.
A key feature of the expedition was its use of helicopter-mounted Lidar technology to scan the Phnom Kulen area and then map the city layout.
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It is derived from the Sanskrit words महेन्द्र (Great Indra, a title of the Hindu god Indra) and पर्वत (mountain) and is a reference to the sacred hill top site commonly known as "Phnom Kulen" today where Jayavarman II was consecrated as the first king of the Khmer Empire in 802.
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His reign was consecrated on the sacred mountain of Mahendraparvata, known as Phnom Kulen in contemporary Cambodian.
The range stretches for about 40 km in a WNW - ESE direction and is located some 48 km north of Siem Reap.
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Carvings include a stone representation of the Hindu god Vishnu lying on his serpent Ananta, with his wife Lakshmi at his feet.
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The park is located about 48 km to the north of the provincial town of Siem Reap.
Phnom Kulen | Wat Phnom | Royal University of Phnom Penh | Phnom Penh International Airport | Foreign Correspondents' Club, Phnom Penh | Royal Phnom Penh Airways | Phnom Voar | Phnom Krom railway | Phnom Aural | Kulen Vakuf | Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh |