Royal Palace & Royal Plaza in Angkor Thom
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Angkor Thom - Baphuon – Bayon – Khleang– Phimeanakas - Preah Palilay - Preah Pithu - Royal Palace - "Small Temple"–Terraces - Photo album

Central Angkor Thom

E to the East Gate

N to the North Gate

S to the South Gate

ST "Small Temple"

V to the Victory Gate

VPL Vihear Prampil Loveng

W to the West Gate

Map from Glaize, modified

Central Angkor Thom at
Google Earth


Click the pics to enlarge.

Phimmeanakas

Royal Palace: East Gate

Khleang & Prasat Suor Prat
"Small Temple"

Preah Pithu

Terrace of the Leper King
Preah Palilay: Naga balustrade
The Phimeanakas, a small pyramid temple in the core of the Royal Palace, is the oldest known building in Angkor Thom. Stared by king Harshavarman II (941-944), it was finished by king Suryavarman I (1002-1049). It features the first perfect galleries. The legend of the Phimeanakas.

Suryavaman I also laid out the Royal Palace; it is framed by a laterite wall, 246 m N-S and 585 m E-W, and a moat.
Most buildings, including the royal abode, were built of wood, and have vanished. (Freeman/Jacques, p. 111.)
In the East Gate Pavilion, king Suryavarman I had an inscription engraved containing the oath of loyalty to be given by the royal officials. (Sahai 2009, p. 80.)

The Royal Plaza, in front of the Royal Palace was laid out in the early 11th century. Symmetrically to the east gate of the palace are two Khleang (halls) and twelve Prasat Suor Prat, they were very probably temples, dedicated to Shiva. East of the North Khleang is an unnamed "Small Temple".

Baphuon (1060) is adjacent to the palace in south.

The Preah Pithu Group (12th century and later) is located in the north-east corner of the plaza, five picturesque small temples under shady trees.

King Jayavarman VII (1181 – ca. 2118) who laid out Angkor Thom, has constructed the Bayon, in the south of the Royal Plaza.

Jayavarman VII also constructed the Terrace of the Elephants, 300 m long, in front of the Royal Palace. The northern bastion was modified several times, remains of the old faces have been unearthed.

The Terrace of the Leper King was probably started by Jayavarman VII, and modified and finished later. Scholars consider the terrace to have been the place for royal cremations. The originally seven layers of the faces depict the underworld with naga, demons, anti-gods, the god Kubera, and so on.
The terrace was later moved forward. The old face is now to be visited in a corridor.
The statue on top of the terrace (original in the National Museum Phnom Penh) depicts a naked demon, with fangs(!), squatting an the ground. By evidence that is neither the god of death nor the 'leper king'. (These names were given to the statue by error.)

Preah Palilay, 200 m north of the Royal Palace, built in the late 13th century or later, consists of a ruined tower on a high pedestal, a well preserved gate pavilion, and a cruciform terrace with naga balustrades. The tower shelters a fragment of a statue, picturing the Buddha calling the Earth. The pavilion has fine Buddhist reliefs.

References: Freeman/Jacques, p. 106-121. Glaize, p. 101-116. Roveda 2005, p. 351-353. Sahai 2009, p. 80.