Baphuon

Constructed : Mid 11th century , ????-1060
Religion : Hindu
Style : Baphuon
King : Udayadityavarman II ★ 1050 - 1066 ★
Location : Angkor Thom, by leaving Bayon,
on the left before arriving at the terrace of the elephants.

Description : Baphuon temple built by Udayadityarvarman II was the most poorly constructed of all the temples in Angkor. From the remaining ruins, it is possible to see how imposing it was. This temple hill was dedicated to Shiva, but in its reliefs many motives from the Vishnu epic can be seen. Restoration work continues to be carried out on the Baphuon.

Baphuon is a little frustrating to pass in front of such a monument and not to be able to visit it. One of the center pieces of Angkor Thom, Baphuon is currently closed with the public for restoration and surely still for a long time. You can just make the turn of it. It is about an enormous work: a puzzle of more than 300.000 stones scattered on several hectares and of which some weigh several tons! Each stone is numbered and recorded in files burned during the war! The work which was stopped in 1970 consists today with all to reconstitute and the result should be equal to the challenge to be judged some by what is already visible.

It will thus be necessary to wait a certain time to have to be able to admire gigantic Buddha lying which is inside. This temple-mountain of which the sight in its top is, appears it, exceptional, was to be the central temple of second Angkor , intermediate stage between Phnom Bakheng and Bayon. What is presented today as an immense building site should become a major temple to visit after the end of work.

Temple Detail : The big temple where the court is located immediately on south side. Presently, France undertaking restoration, the large-sized crane is moving. As for being possible to visit, entering from Toumon, to the point of the aerial going/participating road ending. The inner part from that, it has become off limit. Because of that, walking outer circle generally, the back (west side) it turns, it means to return looking at the sleeping form of the explanation/releasing.

Banteay Torp

Constructed : Late 12th/Early 13th century
Religion: N/A
Style : N/A
King : Jayavarman VII ★ 1181 - 1218 ★
Location : 9km South of Banteay Chhmar.

Comment : Banteay Torp (Fortress of the Army) is another sandstone temple with five towers located south of Banteay Chhmar. Not so big but the shape is impressive. Banteay Torp constructed around the same time as Banteay Chhmar, it may be a tribute to the army of Jayavarman VII, which confirmed Khmer dominance over the region by conclusively defeating the Chams.

Banteay Thom

Constructed : N/A
Religion: N/A
Style : N/A
King : N/A
Location : North of Angkor Thom.

Comment : Coming out of the Angkor Thom north gate, the road divides into two groups directly. The pavement turning right, but when it chooses the road which advances straight, furthermore turns left directly and advances straight for a while, eventually in the left hand the top of the hall of temple is visible on the other side of the forest.

Furthermore it advances straight, the small handwritten plate (Banteay Thom is written on the wood of the road right hand in the Khmer language) being about it has been attached, the thin road it keeps going the right. It is easy to overlook this turning point.

Bayon

Constructed : Late 12 th century
Religion: Buddhism
Style : Bayon
King : Jayavarman VII ★ 1181 - 1218 ★
Detail : Only the gallery circumference 1,200m total height 43m 54 towers.
Location : Center of Angkor Thom, 1500m in the north of the Southern Gate.

Comment : In the heart of Angkor Thom lies the beautiful Bayon temple. Bayon was built about a century after Angkor Wat. Bayon is unlike most of the other temples; no walls surround the terrain, and the style is Buddhist. The more than 200 large faces carved on the 54 towers are believed to depict the god Loki, or Avalokitesvara, or the Buddha King, or a mixture of the portrait of the Buddha and the King Jayavarman VII, but opinions differ. For many architectural and symbolic details a fitting explanation still has to be found. There are also some significant changes in style which leads archeologists to believe that the Bayon was built over a long period of time. The third level with the towers was changed later; the central part may have resembled the Indian temple mount Meru in an earlier stage, similar to temples like Angkor Wat.

Visit the Bayon in the early morning. The sight of the rising sun slowly revealing the many faces with their eerie smile is a sight not to be missed. Come back during the afternoon to have a look at the galleries with their many bas-reliefs depicting scenes of everyday life as well as great battles and military processions. Some of the reliefs were re-carved when the temple later became Hindu. View the reliefs from left to right, as opposed to Angkor Wat.

Before becoming the temple of state of Jayavarman VII, Bayon had been devastated by Chams, which partly explains this architectural confusion which makes of it also its charm! Bas-reliefs of the lower levels, and the sight on the stone heads of the higher level are among most interesting and more impressive things to be seen in Angkor! The reconditioning of the unit of the temple was a colossal work, the more so as certain stones were completely hidden in a very dense vegetation which asked for large work of releases until the anastylose of the towers and the central solid mass in the Forties.

Beng Mealea

Beng Mealea - "Lotus Pond"

Constructed : Early 11th century
Religion: Hindu
Style : Angkor Wat
King : Suryavarman II ★ 1113 - 1150 ★
Location : About 50 km to the East of Siem Reap.

Comment : "The excursion of Beng Malea which, with requests one whole day can be combined with a shooting party, the area being rich in small and big game and even in deer. Tigers, panthers and elephants, herds of beefs and buffaloes wild until Prah Khan in Kompong Svay in the east" wrote Maurice Glaize in 1944! If these remarks are not any more of topicality, the visit of the site of Beng Malea which has just been opened to the public remains nevertheless a small forwarding but the access roads are now excellent if one agrees to make a small turning.

This visit can combine with that of Banteay Srey, or Phnom Khulen, of Chau Srey Vibol and the Roluos group! A very beautiful day in view for those which want to see all in only once. The temple in itself mainly is dilapidated in invaded by the vegetation, but the visit is facilitated by a wooden way which traverses part of the temple. Some places nevertheless remain enough sportsmen when it is a question of climbing the many falls. Built little before Angkor Wat, of which it would have been a kind of prototype, this temple is at the cross of several main roads of the time. A visit which gives the impression of a beautiful adventure and, now so rare, where very few visitors are crossed.

Beng Thom

Constructed : 12th century
King : Jayavarman VII ★ 1181 - 1218 ★
Location : Angkor Thom.

Comment : Angkor Thom is enormous religion which is protected in the rampart and the ring moat. 12 century latter halves, which controls Angkor. One side in square of 3 kilometers, as for the rampart around to be made with the laterite, as for the height approximately 7.5 meters. The ring moat around is width 100 meters.

As for the vertical separation there are approximately 5 meters. At one time making use of this vertical separation, the water of the ring moat was taken in inside the castle from north east angle. The water which it takes in inside the castle flowing, accumulated in the pond which is called Beng Thom in southwest angle, from here had discharged in the ring moat near southwest angle. Beng Thom exists with the rectangular pond, presently, but as for the water surface being covered in the water plant, almost it cannot see. Being quiet it is in the deep forest, it is the place of strange atmosphere. After the Angkor Thom south gate entering, when it traces the lane in the forest west side, it reaches to Beng Thom, but the road has become complicated.

Chau Say Tevoda

Constructed : Early 12th century
Religion: Hindu
Style : Angkor Wat
King : Suryavarman II ★ 1113 - 1150 ★
Location : On the small circuit, on the right side while leaving Angkor Thom by Victory Gate, opposite Thomanom.

Comment : Chau Say Tevoda is currently very interesting to be able to observe the enormous work that requires: the method used, the anastylose, consists in dismounting the monument item by item then to rebuild it by reconstituting the missing elements. This very hard method applies perfectly to the Khmer monuments and makes it possible to return to them an aspect nearest possible to that of origin contrary to the methods of restorations traditional.

The restoration is illustrated and commented in a small building located near the temple, it is a unique opportunity to understand the vastness of work in progress or to come on the site of Angkor!