Ta Keo

Angkor, Cambodia
dedicated c. 1000 AD

Ta Keo, the impressive State Temple of Jayavarman V, rises 21.35m (70') above the ground on a 122m x 106m (400' x 350') platform. It is located at the west end of the East Baray. Work on the temple continued through the reign of Jayaviravarman (1002-1010), but stopped in 1010 when Suryavarman I came to the throne. As a result, the temple is uncarved throughout, giving the walls an unintentionally severe appearance that somewhat resembles the great pyramidal monuments of Pagan. The temple's west face is pictured in the photo above.

Architecturally, Ta Keo is a temple-mountain, symbolizing Mt. Meru, with five towers in quincunx. It is the first Angkor temple to be built mostly of sandstone, and the first to work up its inner enclosure into the form of a continuous gallery (second level, in the photo above).