Angkor Thom and the Temple of Bayon, Cambodia

Photographs and Text by Blackthorn - Published October, 2009

Last year I got to fulfill a lifelong dream when I visited the temples of Cambodia. These temples were mostly erected between the tenth and twelfth centuries. They have changed hands several times since then, alternately controlled by the Buddhists or the Hindus, depending on which religion the government favored at any given time. Angkor Thom was the last capital city of the Khmer empire, and the Bayon is a temple inside that city. It was built toward the end of the twelfth century by Jayavarman VII.

I hired a guide who knew the area and had a car. His English was barely recognizable but he was still worth what he charged because he knew the area and its history so well.

Approaching the south gate of Angkor Thom there are statues depicting a mythological tug of war between gods and demons. The “rope” of the tug of war is a snake called a “naga.” This tug of war is a creation myth called “Churning of the Sea of Milk” and is a common theme in Khmer art everywhere you go.

The city is entered through this gate which had a face of Buddha pointing to each direction of the compass.

A close up of that gate:

After entering the city walls we drove to the temple of Bayon. Approaching the temple was an experience in itself. The craftsmanship that had gone into carving the numerous faces of the Buddha was breathtaking:

We entered a doorway and climbed a stone stairway…

…Onto the upper levels, and as we did, we seemed to go backward in time. In the presence of this ancient beauty words became meaningless and even pictures could only convey a hint of its magnificence. But since pictures were the only way to bring the experience home with me to share with others, the guide sat down and let me wander around on my own.

I was glad we had started our temple visits with Bayon. Each temple I saw had its own unique character, but Bayon was the one to which all the rest would now be compared.