BAYON

Surely one of the best known and most beautiful temples of Angkor. The more than 200 faces with mysterious smiles on each of the 37 intact towers have become a symbol of the splendor of Angkor. Located at the intersection of the north/south and east/west axes of Angkor Thom, it is the spiritual heart of the capital built by Jayavarman VII and the last mountain temple built in Angkor. Unlike the many sanctuaries in Angkor dedicated to the Hindu pantheon, the Bayon worships Buddha, since the king was an ardent Buddhist.
If it seems to have no enclosure, do not be mistaken: the ramparts of Angkor Thom are actually that of the Bayon, giving it a surface area of 9 km ², much larger than that of Angkor Wat (2 km ²). Later rulers also wished to contribute to the building by modifying the original plans of the Bayon. The most important modifications date from the reign of Jayavarman VIII in the mid-thirteenth century, a Hindu ruler who reinstated the cult of Vishnu in the Khmer Empire. Unlike Angkor Wat, with its classical structure and large spaces, the Bayon gives a certain impression of confusion and complexity.

The exterior galleries

They are particularly remarkable, not only because of the four splendid gopuras that mark the four cardinal points, but especially for the numerous bas-reliefs and friezes carved on its walls. In addition to the classical mythological and historical episodes that are represented, many scenes of daily life are depicted. You can admire the most remarkable ones starting from the east door, clockwise. The absence of handwritten inscriptions has forced archaeologists to make assumptions to describe some of the sculptures.

The first scene represents a marching army, composed of soldiers of the Khmer Empire and Chinese mercenaries. Musicians and officers on elephants follow, as well as carts loaded with provisions. Just in front, there are typical Angkor houses and their inhabitants. Some of them would be Chinese merchants. Then stop at the beginning of the southern gallery to admire the naval battle on the Tonle Sap between the Angkor forces and the Cham empire. Just below are a market, an open air kitchen, women taking care of children... Now you are near the south gate: a cockfighting scene is quite amusing; next to it, palace life is described with princesses and their maids. The end of the southern gallery shows new battles concluded by the celebration of victory by the king of Angkor. The west gallery is exclusively military, despite a strange scene of a fish feasting on a young deer. The north gallery is largely unfinished. The first bas-reliefs depict wrestlers and athletes in full exercise, a parade of animals and some ascetics meditating in the forest. Then comes another battle between the Chams and the Khmers, but this time in favor of the sworn enemy: the Angkor forces are routed. You are now in front of the north gate, it is time to go up to the second floor to admire the interior galleries.

The interior galleries

Very narrow, because the upper level was probably not foreseen in the original plans, the bas-reliefs which are carved there are very different from those you have just seen. Added by King Jayavarman VIII, a convinced Hindu, the scenes present take up the great classics of Hindu mythology: churning of the sea of milk, opulent breasted asparas, the trinity of Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, etc. However, a bas-relief describes a legend probably inspired by the leprous king: a character fights without weapon with a giant snake, then shows a woman his hands; we then see him bedridden, suffering from his illness.

The terrace with 200 faces

The last floor encircles the tower of the main sanctuary. It is here that the famous "face towers" of the Bayon dominate. While most of them display a face on each side, some have only two or three. Archaeologists and historians are not able to state with certainty the character represented by these faces with enigmatic smiles. Could it be King Jayavarman VII himself, the Buddha, or simply the king represented as a boddhisattva? Impossible to say, and the faces that scrutinize you at every step you take keep all their secrets. Some specialists have then tried to find a symbolism in their number. But here again, the mystery remains intact: the towers with faces do not all date from the same period, some are original, others added later. Several have been destroyed by time and vegetation. Experts estimate that at its peak, the Bayon had 49 faces. Today, there are only 37. In all, more than 200 faces have been counted, some of them very damaged.

The sanctuary

Originally in the shape of a cross, the sanctuary is today in the form of a circular tower, 43 meters high. In its heart was revered a statue of Buddha of 3.60 meters high. Destroyed during the Hindu restoration in the 13th century, the parts were miraculously found during the anastylosis of the Bayon, and it was thus reconstituted. It is now displayed in front of the elephant terrace.