What little remains of Yeay Peau temple, named after King Prohm’s mother, can be found 150m north of Ta Prohm in the grounds of a modern pagoda.
Legend has it that Peau gave birth to a son, Prohm. When Prohm discovered his father was King Preah Ket Mealea, he set off to live with the king. After a few years, he returned to his mother but did not recognise her; taken by her beauty, he asked her to become his wife. He refused to believe Peau’s protests that she was his mother. To put off his advances and avoid the impending marriage, Peau suggested a temple-building contest whereby the winner would get their wish. When Yeay Peau was completed first, Prohm was forced to acknowledge Peau as his mother.
