Cambodia Temple Guide

Spean Thma Siem Reap

Spean Thma ancient bridge Siem Reap in Angkor, Cambodia is known as the bridge of stone and it is located west of Ta Keo. It is one of the few Khmer Empire era bridges to have survived to the modern day. It was built on the former path of the Siem Reap River between Angkor Thom and the Eastern Baray and it was probably rebuilt after the Khmer period (around the 15th century), as it includes many reused sandstone blocks.

‘Spean Thma’ literally translates to 'Stone Bridge'. Remnants of an ancient bridge over the Siem Reap River. Reconstructed several times over the centuries. As it currently stands the bridge is of post-Angkorian construction, employing carved stone from earlier temples. It sits just to the side of the river, indicating how much the course of the river has shifted over the years, possibly in part due to the obstruction and sediment build up caused by the bridge.

The 14 narrow arches are 1.10 m wide. Spean Thma bridge, showing the use of corbelling.

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, the Spean Praptos is one of the longest with 25 arches.

Spean Thma, the bridge of stone. It would have been rebuilt several times and is hardly of interest the more so as it is possible to see many bridges in better states on the road from Siem reap in Phnom Penh. It will be noticed nevertheless that the bridge is currently to a hundred meters from the river what shows at which point the water court moved with time.