Rediscovering Less-Famous Temples

Neak Pean (or Neak Poan), ​“The Entwined Serpents”, is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on a circular island in Jayatataka Baray, which was associated with Preah Khan temple, built during the reign of King King Jayavarman VII. It is believed that Neak Pean represents Anavatapta, a mythical lake in the Himalayas whose waters are thought to cure all illness. The name is derived from the sculptures of sacred snakes (Naga) running around the base of the temple structure, neak being the Khmer rendering of the Sanskrit naga.

Pre Rup was a purely Hindu temple built as the official devotional place of King Rajendravarman, dedicated in 961 or early 962. A combination of brick, laterite and sandstone construction, it was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It has been speculated that this temple laid at the center of the new capital city built by King Rajendravarman.

Ta Som is a single shrine enclosed by laterite walls and built at the end of the 12^th century for King King Jayavarman VII. It is located north east of Angkor Thom and just east of Neak Pean. The King dedicated the temple to his father Dharanindravarman II, sovereign of the Khmer Empire from 1150 to 1160. Trees and shrubs have taking over some of the ruines, like at nearby Ta Prohm. 

More about Ta Som sculpted devatas and apsaras here.