Expression of the Highest Genius; The Majesty of Angkor Thom

The Royal Palace situated within the city of Angkor Thom, close to Siem Reap Cambodia, belonged to kings of the tenth and first half of of the eleventh centuries. King Jayavarman VII built the city, whose name translates to “Great Kingdom” and includes Angkor Wat, over a 30 year period with the assistance of 6,000 elephants.

A Chinese emissary, who provided the only first-hand account of the Khmer, described the splendor of Angkor Thom.

“At the center of the Kingdom rises a Golden Tower Bayon flanked by more than twenty lesser towers and several hundred stone chambers. On the eastern side is a golden bridge guarded by two lions of gold, one on each side, with eight golden Buddhas spaced along the stone chambers. North of the Golden Tower of Bronze [Baphuon], higher even than the Golden tower, a truly astonishing spectacle with more than ten chambers at its base. A quarter of a mile further north is the residence of the King rising above his private apartments is another tower of gold. These are the monuments which have caused merchants from overseas to speak so often of Cambodia, the rich and noble.”

Zhou Daguan

Splendid even today, it’s opulence over one thousand years ago is unimaginable. Starting with the 216 faces carved on the Bayon Temple.

A long causeway leading to each entry tower is flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side – demons on the right and gods on the left-to make a total of 108 mythical beings guarding the city of Angkor Thom.

The demons grimace and wear a military headdress while the gods look serene with almond-shaped eyes and conical headdresses.

A serpent spreads its nine heads in the shape of a fan and its body extends the length of the causeway. Legend cites this a symbol of the rainbow uniting the worlds of man and the gods.

I visited perhaps the most mesmerizing of the Angkor temples and the centerpiece of Angkor Thom – Bayon. Once inside, you realize that it is constructed around 54 towers, with 216 smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara peering down at you.

The name translates to “the lord who looks over the world” or “the lord who gazes down upon the world”. 

Fantastic to explore with mazes of tunnels, blocked doorways and tumbled down rocks making it a perfect place to get lost in the mysteries of Angkor.

The galleries on the first and second level have historical and religious bas-reliefs, considered masterpieces of Khmer art.  Their subject matter are the legends and mythology of the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

I found them astonishing: everyday scenes, Hindu myths, images of the king and his court, and representations of the Hindu heavens. Carved over a thousand years ago and today still visually arresting.

Prepare to be amazed by its cultural and historical significance, by the inexplicable genius of its design and construction, magnificent temples and intricate carvings. Unlike anything I have ever seen.  A visit to this remarkable site is an absolute must for any traveler.