The creation of the temple is credited to the reign of Yasovarman I (889–910)[2]: 65  between 9th and 10th centuries; established after he moved his capital to Angkor and named it Yasodharapura.

[3]: 113 [4][5] The site of the three hills was chosen by Yashovarman I along with the Eastern Baray (where only the base of the central shrine is surviving).

[7] From the astronomical references planned for three temples, out of the four noted alignments three, namely, equinox and winter and Solar Solstices could be observed from inside the western entrance of Phnom Bok hill temple, which is also known for the triple sanctuary dedicated to the Trimurti.

From the top of this mountain, though the temple is seen mostly in ruins, the panoramic vistas seen all round are of the Tonlé Sap Lake, the Phnom Kulen to the north and vast plains of rice fields to the south.

His objective was also to build a temple for housing a linga, which surpassed his father's Indresvara and named it as Yashodaresvara.

It was built in Bakheng style (893–927) and designed with individual sanctums, which have door openings to the east and west.

Frontons of Bakheng and Phnom Bok are said to "represent heads of the entire thirty-three deities of the Hindu pantheon.