Bayon Temple

The Bayon temple was constructed in the late 12th century ( in year 1181-1220 ) by  king Jayavarman VII. Bayon is a second important monumental temple in the area after Angkor Wat. Bayon also was considering as the last stone temple ever built in the period of the Khmer empire. That’s mean, when the Khmers had finished the Bayon temple, the Khmers in the Angkor period were not able to build any more stone temples. Because the country began to decline.

Bayon located exactly in the center of Angkor Thom, which 1.50km away from each monumental gate. Before restoration done by French, you could not see its temple structure at all. Because the jungle took over densely. But in 1916 they had cleared the forest away from its building, and then they began to restore until the war broken in Cambodia in 1970.

Bayon has a meaning in Khmer the Magic. They designed with 49 towers and in each tower decorated with the four faces of the compassionate Bodhisattva Avalokesvara with a combination of king Jayavarman VII's face as well.

The 54 towers of Bayon and Angkor Thom are represented to 54 days of the lunar calendar of the two circle of moon. In addition, as 54 are considering as a lucky number link to the astrological concept, then king Jayavarman VII had arranged the territory of the Khmer Empire with 54 provinces. Thus, Bayon temple was also a replica of the Khmer Empire territory.

When French began to work in this temple, they thought Bayon was a Hindu temple dedicated to Brahma (The Creator) in the 9th century. They judged to the Brahma because according to the four faces on each tower and they judged for 9^thcentury because the temple looked too old as they did not realize yet about Rolous Group temples.