Preah Vihear
Preah Vihear is a northern province of Cambodia. Its capital is Phnum Tbeng Meanchey.
The province is named after the eponymous temple of Preah Vihear, also known as Prasat Khao Phra Wiharn in Thai, perched on a hilltop with a commanding view of its surroundings. Predating Angkor Wat by 100 years, the history of the temple/fortress is somewhat unclear, but it is known to be dedicated to the god Shiva and thought to have been constructed in the reign of Suryavarman I (1002-50), with further significant additions by Suryavarman II (1113-50).
Due to its location on the border between Cambodia and Thailand, ownership of the area was disputed until 1967, when the International Court of Justice ruled that it belonged to Cambodia ? which soon after plunged into civil war. The temple opened briefly to the public in 1992, only to be occupied by the Khmer Rouge the next year. It opened again from the Thai side at the end of 1998, and Cambodia completed the construction of a long-awaited access road in 2003. Cambodia allows visa-free day trips from Thailand to the temple.
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