Takeo City Map Poster

About Takeo

The province is home to the ruins of several ancient Khmer temples, including Phnom Da and Phnom Chisor. The provincial town was formerly called Takeo until it was renamed Doun Kaev in honor of King Norodom Sihanouk's father, Prince Sisowath Monivong. The name Takéo derives from the Sanskrit word "Taksha" (Devanāgarī: तक्ष), meaning "crown". It refers to a legend that says that an Indian Brahmin named Taksaka came across a group of people who were fighting over a crown and decided to settle their dispute by throwing his own crown into the river Mekong; thus giving birth to this region which became known as Taksha or 'Crown'. Another interpretation is that it comes from two words: Ta-keu ("to be happy"), referring either directly or indirectly through Chinese Tai-kheou ("happy country").