Established by King Jayavarman Ⅶ, the Bayon Temple covers 9 sq. km. It’s also known as Angkor Thom, Yashodhara, or Nokor Thom, meaning “big city” in Khmer. A stone inscription reveals its original name as Chey Kiri, meaning “triumphant mountain.”
Tourists often call Bayon the “face temple” because of the towers adorned with enigmatic human faces in all directions. The meaning of these faces remains a mystery, with some believing they depict King Jayavarman, while others suggest they represent the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
Unlike many other temples surrounded by moats, Bayon has five imposing gates guarding the cardinal directions, with moats outside the gates. The city walls, made of laterite, stand between 7 and 8 meters tall and stretch for 3 kilometers. Each corner features a small temple called Prasat Chrung. The king, his family, officials, military officers, and priests lived within the city walls, while others resided outside. Only the stone structures remain today, as the wooden ones have decayed over time.
Bayon contains Buddha statues that are worshipped inside. According to the inscriptions on the doorposts, the names of various deities in Buddhism and Brahmanism lead us to understand that the Bayon Temple is considered the Dhammapada as it is the center of deities of both Mahayana Buddhism and Brahmanism religions.
The intricate bas-relief carvings on the outer walls and Bayon’s second enclosure depict various scenes in all four directions of the temple. Descriptive boards nearby help visitors understand these carvings including the King Jayavarman, the Khmer empire, and chams, and gods in Brahmanism, to name a few.
Bayon Temple or Angkor Thom
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