Au revoir to Banteay Thom

The northern tower of Banteay Thom

The southern (left) and central towers of Banteay Thom. The rear of the central tower has collapsed in part

This is my final post on Prasat Banteay Thom, a remote temple just a few kilometres from the main Angkor Park route but rarely-visited and so well worth seeking out next time you have some time on your hands. Built by the great temple builder Jayavarman VII, it is mostly sandstone with three central towers though its galleries are of laterite, it has a host of excellent carvings on its pediments, lintels and wall panels as well as a series of devata and male dvarapalas in niches on its walls. My first visit was in 1999 when the whole site was overgrown and the red ants did a great job of protecting their temple, and today its just as remote though its been tidied up and the 'ang krang' don't bite so much! Nevertheless, you will most likely be all alone when you visit the temple.

With the sun behind the eastern gopura, this pediment photo isn't one of my best. The pediment shows Prajnaparamita and a lower register of 12 crowned women holding lotus flowers

The lintel on the eastern gopura is badly mutilated and you can just make out the kala

Banteay Thom has some gorgeous wall panels and these Buddhist figures escaped mutilation in the late 13th century

These medallion wall panels show a variety of birds and animals with the Goddess Preah Thorani in the center, wringing her hair of water

Inside the laterite gallery that runs around the inside of the outer temple wall

This poorly defined naga antefix was one of the few remaining items from the small temple of Prasat Kron Nup, closeby Banteay Thom but completely levelled by temple thieves