Angkor Thom (Big Angkor) is a 3km walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire. There are five entrances or gates in to this city. There is a gate at each cardinal point leading you to the Royal Palace and we actually got to visit three of these gates. Although I can not quite remember which one was the South, East or North gate but here are the photos we took of them.
Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII’s empire, and was the centre of his massive building program. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride. What a magnificent city to be the “creator” or “instigator” of.
Everyone who entered the city had to pass through these gates. In honor of this function it has been built in a style grandiose and elegant, forming a whole, incomparable in its strength and expression. The gate above has unfortunately been allowed to fall into ruin a bit so it was not safe for us to pass under it.
Each gate is crowned with 4 giant faces facing each cardinal direction. The faces on the 23 m towers at the city gates, which are later additions to the main structure, take after those of the Bayon Temple and pose the same problems of interpretation. They may represent the king himself, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, guardians of the empire’s cardinal points, or some combination of these. Nobody really knows what they represent which is sad as they are so beautiful and majestic.
The lower half of each gate is modeled like an elephant with three heads. Their trunks, which serve as pillars, are plucking lotus flowers. The Hindu god Indra sits at the center of the elephant with an Apsara on each side. He holds a thunderbolt in his lower left hand. I had a look and couldnt quite make out all of this detail, but maybe I was just looking at one of the gates that were not so well preserved.
The gateways themselves are 3.5 by 7 m, and would originally have been closed with wooden doors of which there is definitely no trace left. As my mom and I entered through these gates I could hardly contain my excitement at exploring the wonders that lay beyond.
Janaline's world journey 
When did you go to Cambodia? I haven’t been keeping up with reading blogs as work was insanely busy. Holidays here now and trying to catch up. Lovely place… And pics. I loved Cambodia.
LikeLike
Thank you! I am only now getting around to typing up our Vietnam adventure….this was actually a couple of years ago, while I was still living in Vietnam. I am currently living in Cape Town, South Africa and only starting to explore this area now. Will start blogging about it soon.
LikeLike
Wow… You have been lucky to live all over. We’ve been in China for 4 years. Have been able to see lots of places we would have otherwise missed. What do you do to allow you to live in so many places?
LikeLike
Such an incredible place, one that cannot be totally captured with a camera.
LikeLike
So true Lulu, the magnificence of the place can only be experienced first hand when you actually stand among these fabulous ruins.
LikeLike
i’m happy
you beautifully
brought me there 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you and you are welcome.
LikeLike
Powerful photos. How lucky you are to have an experience like this. Isn’t it tragic that these “gifts” have fallen to ruin? Waving at you from The Garden State
LikeLike
I agree it is quite sad. Although the temples that are now “overgrown” with trees are such a spectacular sight in themselves. I would have loved to see them all when they were still in use though
LikeLike
Wow, so impressive. These really inspire awe. Great pics!
LikeLike
They are amazing, and to think they were just left to fall into ruins, forgotten for years and years.
LikeLike
It looks quite incredible, Janaline. 🙂 Wonderful memories, I bet.
LikeLike
Great memories!! It was the first adventure my mom and I had together and we got to see these amazing temples and structures.
LikeLike
I thought you looked pretty happy in that shot! 🙂
LikeLike
Magnificent place, Janaline! Great photos.
LikeLike
Thanks Amy. It is definitely one of my favourite places ever!!
LikeLike
Just one of the most amazing places in the world. TODAY I got my pictures back (they had been locked in an ex-friend’s garage for years) back from my first to o/s trips, including Angkor. Must take the wife there. It’s beyond words/
LikeLike
It is amazing! You should definitely take her to Angkor Wat, what a fabulous place to explore together!
LikeLike
Lovely shots! Can’t wait to visit this place!
LikeLike
Thank you! It is a fabulous place to explore, I would love to go back again as I am sure I didn’t get to see everything.
LikeLike
OH wow, those are beautiful, like Sue said, hope to see what´s in there 🙂
have a good weekend, Ron.
LikeLike
Thanks Ron! Busy sorting through all the photos so will definitely be posting the photos of the temples soon.
LikeLike
Are we going to see the wonders that lay beyond?? These faces of Angkor Thom are, I think, the very first images I saw in a book of Rose Macaulay’s (Pleasure of Ruins) that had been illustrated with some images by a photographer called Rolof Beny (I think) and it made me want to see this for myself….
LikeLike
It is magnificent Sue, I hope you do get to see these!! Will be posting all the treasures we found beyond these gates soon!! It was definitely one of the most spectacular places that I have ever had the opportunity to explore
LikeLike
Fantastic -look forward to your images…. Where exactly did you visit in the Angkor complex – Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom…anywhere else?
LikeLike
My mom and I spent 2 days exploring the temples so got to visit quite a few…..will be posting about them all soon. My favourite was Bayon with its beautiful faces!
LikeLike
Oh, great! I have to ask – did you see Beng Mealea or Banteay Srea?
LikeLike