Doorway corridors
Endless perspective.
Satdeep Gill — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 3.0
A sprawling temple built by King Jayavarman VII in the 12th century to honour his father, on the site of his 1181 victory over the Cham army; its name means sacred sword. It was a small city in itself, its inscriptions linking nearly a hundred thousand officials and servants to it. Its flat plan is built of successive rectangular galleries around a central sanctuary, joined by long corridors of doorways one after another, so you can see the far end from the first. Like Ta Prohm it is largely unrestored, giant trees growing over its walls, but it is far quieter. Among its oddities is a two-storey building with round columns found nowhere else at Angkor, and the Hall of Dancers carved with celestial dancers. The temple is tied to the great Jayatataka reservoir, with Neak Pean at its centre. Entry is with the Angkor Pass: USD 37 for one day, USD 62 for three days within ten, and USD 72 for seven days within a month; children under 12 go free with a passport. Temples are living places of worship: cover shoulders and knees, remove your hat where asked and keep off roped-off stones. The heat is fierce most of the year, so carry water and start early.
Endless perspective.
Round columns.
Over the walls.
North-east of Angkor Thom, on the grand circuit
Yes, it is bigger and calmer, with the same trees over the ruins and no crowds, on the grand circuit near Neak Pean.