Overview

• Late 12th
• Religion: Buddhist
• Patron: Jayavarman VII
• Style: Bayon

Purpose

The Bayon was a Buddhist temple mountain, and also the state building of Jayavarman VII. It was located at the center of his capital city of Angkor Thom.

Significance

The Bayon was the crowning achievement of Jayavarman VII, which is in itself impressive as he constructed more temples than any other king in Cambodia's history. It is also one of the most unusual and interesting works in Khmer art, largely due to the hundreds of giant faces that decorate its gopuras and towers.

History

Jayavarman VII built the Bayon as his state temple, at the center of his capital city, Angkor Thom. The temple was constructed on an earlier structure, which was obscured beyond recognition by the modifications. This in part explains the Bayon's complicated and unusual layout, which at times seems cramped and haphazard.

Description

At the center of Angkor Thom is the temple of the Bayon. The structure as it stands today dates to the reign of Jayavarman VII, who greatly expanded and modified an already existing temple. The monument is basically a three-terraced pyramid, though it is unrecognizable as such due to a complicated arrangement of galleries, passageways, and stairs. The first two levels house the galleries of bas-reliefs, which portray not only great battles in Khmer history, but also day to day life in the 13th century. The third level is monopolized by a round central sanctuary, unique in Khmer architecture. The most unusual aspect of the Bayon however, is its many giant stone faces, over 200 of which are carved into the temple's gopuras and 54 towers. Some think these faces--which also grace the gopuras of Angkor Thom and are a hallmark of Jayavarman VII's works--are the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. But it is also likely that they represent Jayavarman VII himself, as they resemble known statues of him.