Bayon Temple
Monday, June 30, 2008After entering through the South Gate, we visited the beautiful Bayon Temple which lies in the heart of Angkor Thom.
Bayon Temple was built about a century after Angkor Wat. It 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, 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 (inner) 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.
Bayon Temple was built about a century after Angkor Wat. It 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, 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 (inner) 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.
The carvings on the walls told the history of civilisation and the war at that time.
Nice spot to camwhore.
Watch this video posted on the Youtube.
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