Phanom Rung Historical Park: A Historical and Spiritual Journey in Buriram

The Bear Team 4 min read

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One of the best parts about exploring Thailand is you get to experience its mesmerizing culture up close and personal. Its Buddhist leanings are prominent across the nation, giving you a fascinating insight into what makes Thailand tick as a Kingdom. If you are exploring the northeast of Thailand in and around the Cambodian border and want to visit a highly recommended Buddhist site, check out the serene Phanom Rung Historical Park. 

Phanom Rung (aka Phanomrung) is one of the most famous and popular Khmer-style temples in this part of Thailand and is impressive in every way. The temple was first constructed back in the time between the 10th and 13th centuries and was initially built as a Hindu Temple that gives its dedication to the god Shiva. 

Join us on our historical and spiritual journey to the Phanom Rung Historical Park.

Beautiful Khmer-Style Thailand Temple

Phanom Rung (or Phanomrung) is known locally as Prasat Hin Phanom Rung and is located at the top of a hill in the center of Buriram Province. The complex is located on the base of another Khmer-style temple complex called Muang Tum, which was coincidently built at approximately the same time.

The temple’s location on the hill symbolized Mount Kailash, one of the holiest mountains in Hindu culture and supposedly the place where Shiva lived. The temple is situated directly on an ancient route from Angkor in Cambodia, once a mainstay for the Khmer Empire. 

  Trivia!

Phanom Rung Historical Park was built on the rim of an extinct volcano with a 402-meter elevation.

A Spiritual Journey to Phanom Rung Temple

To visit the temple, you enter the site and walk along a 160-meter-long walkway that leads directly to the central tower. The aerial views on your way to the temple are beautiful. Make sure you get some photos. Crossing a Nagas-inspired bridge will lead you to a stairway to the temple's central tower. For your information, the Nagas bridge symbolizes the passage from the mortal world to a godlier dimension. 

Once inside the temple's inner sanctum, you will find many Hindu-inspired carvings and decorations to appease the Hindu gods, Vishnu and Shiva. On the walls, you can see inscriptions and pictures of the epic scenes of Ramayana. The central tower is 23 meters tall, 9 meters comprehensive, and crafted from pink sandstone. The tower is supposed to signify the Hindu center of the universe, Mount Meru. 

Flanking the main tower, you will find two smaller towers that date back to the 10th and 11th centuries, such as the ancient history of this complex. Here you will also encounter two Hindu libraries with many old Hindu scriptures. 

 Fun Fact!

Phanom Rung Historical Park is a must-visit tourist attraction site. Enjoy the history and culture embedded in this magnificent piece of architecture, and you will leave this place with a lot of memories and pictures. 

SOON: UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Future

Surprisingly, Phanom Rung is not yet a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it might be in the future. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Thai Fine Arts Department restored this ancient temple. The site was submitted to UNESCO for their consideration, but at the time of writing has still not won a place with UNESCO. 

Enjoying the Phanom Rung Festival

If you want to experience the temple in full swing, we recommend visiting during the Thai New Year festivities on the 13th of April. On this date, light from the sun shines through 15 portals around the temple, conjuring up a magical atmosphere that must be seen to be believed. 

On the 13th of April, you can also enjoy many ceremonies and traditional dances that pay homage to the gods on this auspicious date. The festival ends with fireworks and light shows and is a fascinating experience. 

How to Visit Phanom Rung Historical Park in Buriram?

Suppose you want to visit Phanom Rung; this ancient site is located in Buriram in the northeastern region of Thailand. The temple is situated 50 km from Buriram to the south and can easily be accessed via a bus or taxi from the city. If you are staying in a Buriram Hotel, they will be able to organize a taxi for you.

The park is open every day from 6 am to 6 pm and is 100 THB per person if you are Thai. If you are on holiday, we recommend you visit on weekdays because it can get hectic at the weekend. 

  Did You Know?

The temple was first constructed back in the time between the 10th and 13th centuries and was initially built as a Hindu Temple that gives its dedication to the god Shiva. It was built on the rim of an extinct volcano with a 402-meter elevation. It was submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Map & More Information

Phanom Rung Historical Park in Buriram is a remnant of the past with cultural and traditional architecture built in the 11th century. The Khao Rung festival is a must-visit to see this ancient Temple's full glory. It was also submitted as a UNESCO World Heritage site for consideration.