South Inner Enclosure

Bayon, Angkor Thom

The Bayon was built by Jayavarman VII as his State Temple. After being remodeled by later kings, who reused Jayavarman's magnificent temple rather than building their own, the Bayon is now a confusing warren of galleries and towers. In this view from the south, the central group of towers appears inside the enclosure, at photo left. Numerous faces can be seen on the towers, so many indeed that their number has not actually been counted. Reliefs appear on the inner (80m x 70m, 260' x 230') and second (156m x 141m, 510' x 460') enclosures. The temple faces east. Its central tower has an unusual, circular, cross-section.