Magnificent Cambodia is a dream destination for all the art lovers, the place is surrounded by alluring monuments. The tall trees, blue sky, crystal clear, and dense forest is a visual delight. If you visit Cambodia, don’t miss to pay a visit to Angkor Thom.
Is it fun to explore the rugged branches and ancient stones and colorful tuk-tuk where ancient people spend their quality time. Angkor Thom is just not another tourist destination; it is a spectacular place which has a lot of uniqueness.
It is an experience which has to be felt. The unique Angkor Thom was built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman V11, it is said to be the largest city and you need good 18-20 hours to explore the famous monuments in Angkor Thom.
5 Incredible monuments to see in Angkor Thom, Cambodia
1. The South Gate
Enter the Angkor Thom through The South Gate, there are a lot of history lovers who enjoy exploring this place. You can expect some traffic jam at the entrance, all thanks to the incredible monuments. Every year Angkor Thom witnesses a great number of tourists.
While you enter the South Gate you will be welcomed by the devas and asuras, few are even dropping a seven hooded snake. It is a visual treat for all the history buffs. The South Gate is massive and there are also 5 other gates apart from the south gate i.e north, east, west and victory gate.
2. Lepar King Terrace and Elephant Terrace
The Lepar King Terrace is another heritage beauty which you should not miss, it is filled with bass-reliefs and is a visual delight too. Adjacent to the Lepar King Terrace is the Elephant Terrace.
Elephant Terrace is a magnificent monument which showcases the royalty. It was built during the period of King Jayavarman V11 ‘s reign. The huge Elephant Terrace showcases royalty and the rich carvings are alluring. You can also see the images of lions and serpents on these enormous terraces.
3. Phimeanakas
The Phimeanakas gives you a feeling that you are taking a stroll through the dense forest, you can explore splendid places and temples. The old Phimeanakas is well surrounded by greenery and it is said to be older than Angkor Thom. There is a royal palace close to Phimeanakas, it is said to be dated back to the 11th entry.
It is difficult to climb the Phimeanakas, it is said that Phimeanakas is was home for the kings and they used to live with queens. This is an old monument which is buried under the huge branches of trees.
4. Faces of Bayon
If you are running out of time, just take out time to visit the old Bayon in Angkor Thom. It is an important monument and should not be missed, once you enter this magnificent temple you can see more than 200 faces looking at you from all the directions. It is said to be built as a Buddhist monument but it was converted into a Hindu temple since the king embraced Hinduism.
5. Bapuon
Bapuon is considered to be oldest as compared to the Bayon Temple, it is said to be built in the 11th century by Udayadityavarman 11, this capital city Yashodarapura is now merged with Angkor Thom and this place is a must visit monument if you are in Cambodia. Bapuon is called as the mountain temple because of its enormous size, the shape of the temple is similar to a pyramid. The place depicts stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
