Thommanon

About this place

Thommanon is a small, elegant temple among the trees east of Angkor Thom. An ornate stone tower rises over a small shrine, with a gateway and a library around it, fine carving on the doors and lintels, and tall trees ringing the earthen courtyard. It is one of a pair of temples built under King Suryavarman II between 1113 and 1150, around the time work began on Angkor Wat; its partner, Chau Say Tevoda, stands across the road to the south. It is dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. Some scholars date it a little earlier from its carvings of female figures, but most place it in Suryavarman II's reign. It is part of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 1992. You walk around the temple to see the carvings on its doors and walls up close, then cross the road to Chau Say Tevoda. It is small, so a short visit is enough. The temple is about 4 km in a straight line northeast of Angkor Wat, on the Small Circuit road. Temples are sacred places, so cover your shoulders and knees, and do not climb on carved stone.