Ta Keo, Hindu temple-mountain in Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia

Ta Keo is a sandstone temple in Angkor Archaeological Park that rises in five stepped levels with four corner towers framing a central sanctuary at the top. The temple's bold geometric design demonstrates the architectural refinement that Khmer builders had achieved during this period.

Jayavarman V began Ta Keo in 975, when he was 17, and it was dedicated around 1000 as Hemagiri, 'the mountain with golden summits'. Inscriptions record that a lightning strike halted work, though the king's death in a succession struggle may also explain why carving stopped. It remained unfinished until the reign of Suryavarman I.

Inscriptions call the temple Hemagiri, "the mountain with golden summits," and its quincunx of five towers represents Mount Meru. A kneeling Nandi at the foot of the eastern stairway identifies it as a Shaivite temple. A high priest named Yogisvarapandita worshipped at its lower shrines, and the temple remained a cult center until the 13th century.

Access to the temple requires a valid Angkor Archaeological Park pass that can be purchased at the park entrance. Early morning visits offer better light for photography and fewer crowds on the steep stone staircases.

The temple surfaces remain smooth and undecorated because construction stopped before artisans could add the carved details seen on neighboring temples. This unfinished quality makes it visually distinct from the ornately embellished monuments nearby.