Why was Ta Keo never finished?

The true reason Ta Keo was left unfinished remains a mystery. Inscriptions mention that lightning struck the unfinished temple, which was seen as a bad omen that stopped construction. The more likely historical theory suggests work stopped due to the death of King Jayavarman V around 1000 AD, followed by a succession struggle. The complete absence of carvings shows that stones had only been positioned before the stop, giving us unique insight into how Khmer temples were built.

Ta Keo - Travel Guide

Ta Keo is a massive unfinished mountain temple, possibly the first to be built entirely of sandstone in the Khmer Empire. Construction began in 975 AD under King Jayavarman V as his state temple. The steep step pyramid rises to 22 meters and is crowned by five towers in a quincunx arrangement. Most striking is the absence of decorations - carvings were never begun, and nobody knows the true reason why. Legends speak of a lightning strike as a bad omen, or construction simply stopped due to the king's death.