The Catholic Church on the top of Bokor Mountain was built by the French in the 1920s. It is one of the few churches left in Cambodia – many were destroyed during the Khmer Rouge rule.
This church itself has a dark history. There was once an anti-aircraft gun on the hill directly above the church – a strategic point on the highest mountain in the area. The Khmer Rouge defended Bokor and used the church as a troop barracks. The church served as a bunker, with a hole in the wall so the defenders could shoot anyone approaching from the road.
The church was later abandoned again and is now one of the few remaining French colonial buildings on Bokor Mountain that has not been demolished or renovated. It is nothing more than a shell housing a few old religious idols. It has an eerie atmosphere, but is a must-see on your Bokor Mountain climb