Before Angkor Wat was built, before the Khmer capital was was moved to the area around Phnom Bakeng, the center of the kingdom was located around the present-day village of Roluos, about 12 kilometers (7 1/2 miles) from Seam Reap. A small group of three temples marks the site of the old capital, Hariharalaya. The temples were all built some time in the ninth century, not long before the capital was moved to around Angkor.
The three temples that can be visited are:
- Preah Ko
- A small Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, Preah Ko was built as a funerary temple by King Indravarman I for his parents, maternal grandparents, and the previous king, Jayavarman II.
- Bakong
- This temple-mountain was once at the center of the old capital city. Five platforms rise out of the plain, representing mythical beings.
- Lolei
- This small temple was once located in the middle of a large man-made lake (baray). The carvings and inscriptions are thought to be the best of the Roluos group.