Spean Thma
Encyclopedia
Spean Thma in Angkor
Angkor
Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara , meaning "city"...

, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

 is known as the bridge of stone and it is located west of Ta Keo
Ta Keo
Ta Keo is a temple-mountain, in Angkor , possibly the first to be built entirely of sandstone by Khmers.-The site:Ta Keo had to be the state temple of Jayavarman V, son of Rajendravarman, who had built Pre Rup...

. It is one of the few Khmer Empire
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...

 era bridges to have survived to the modern day.

It was built on the former path of the Siem Reap River between Angkor Thom
Angkor Thom
Angkor Thom , located in present day Cambodia, was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by king Jayavarman VII. It covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those...

 and the Eastern Baray and it was probably rebuilt after the Khmer period (around the 15th century), as it includes many reused sandstone blocks.

The 14 narrow arches are 1.10 m wide.
Several other bridges on the same model are visible: in the Angkor site (Spean Memai) and at several locations of the former empire. On the road from Angkor to Beng Mealea
Beng Mealea
Beng Mealea is a temple in the Angkor Wat style located 40 km east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia, on the ancient royal highway to Preah Khan Kompong Svay.-The temple:...

, the Spean Praptos
Spean Praptos
Spean Praptos on the road from Angkor to Phnom Chisor, Cambodia, used to be the longest corbeled stone-arch bridge in the world, with more than twenty narrow arches spanning 285 ft . The bridge was built in the 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII...

is one of the longest with 25 arches.
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