Three Buddha statues on Phnom Sampeau, Battambang, Cambodia

Phnom Sampeau (Ship Mountain) is a limestone mountain along National Road 57, about 12 kilometres (7 miles) from the city of Battambang in Cambodia. The mountain is 100 metres (328 feet) high with a pagoda on the top and three natural caves, famous for its bats.

On the cliff-face are three statues of Buddha. The central Buddha is 9 metres (30 feet) tall.

The carving commenced in 2003 but was left unfinished due to a lack of funds, leaving only the face exposed.

In November 2003, 100 sculptors – a group of former street children and orphans – were commissioned to carve three giant Buddha statues into Phnom Sampeau (also spelled Phnom Sampov), which was expected to take seven years. Staff of the NGO Morodak Angkor trained the students, supported by the Ministry of Culture. The three statues were drafted in Cambodian form, which differs from the Thai and Japanese forms of Buddha in head shape and clothing.

The 38 x 112 metre (125 x 367 feet) wall of limestone mountain rock in Banan district was the site chosen for the carving of three statues depicting three phases of Buddha’s life: birth, enlightenment, and death.

Private investors provided funds to complete the construction of the three Buddhas, which resumed in 2019. In October 2023, it is nearly finished.

2018 unfinished carving

MARTINA NICOLLS

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Martina Nicolls is an Australian author and international human rights-based consultant in education, healing and wellbeing, peace and stabilisation, and foreign aid audits and evaluations.

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