Wolfgang's photos with the keyword: Prasat Bayon

The Bayon was the last state temple to be built at Angkor, and the only Angkorian state temple to be built primarily as a Mahayana Buddhist shrine dedicated to the Buddha, though a great number of minor and local deities were also encompassed as representatives of the various districts and cities of the realm.

The Bayon tower is positioned in the exact center of Angkor Thom. The top of the Bayon Temple comprises the Upper Bayon Terrace and the numerous ''face'' towers of the Bayon. Each of these towers has two, three and sometimes four faces. These faces are all similar and have the same serene smile looking down.

People believe that all this 216 faces are a portraiture of the "Leper King of Cambodian legend" Jayavarman VII. According to scholars, it is no coincidence that a portrait of King Jayavarman VII, located today in the Musée Guimet in Paris, bears a strong resemblance to the face towers of the Bayon.

Bayon Temple is surrounded by two long walls bearing an extraordinary collection of bas-relief scenes of legendary and historical events. In all, there are are total of more than 11,000 carved figures on the wall. They were probably originally painted and gilded, but this has long since faded.

The outer gallery comes into view first to visit. The second gallery is on the next higher level. The third level is where we encountered many of the famous faces of King Jayavarman VII.

Angkor Thom was built as a square, the sides of which run exactly north to south and east to west. Standing in the exact center of the walled city, Bayon Temple represents the intersection of heaven and earth. The surrounding tall jungle makes Bayon a bit dark and flat.

Built in the latter part of the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, Bayon is one of the most widely recognised temples in Siem Reap because of the giant stone faces that adorn the towers of Bayon. There are 54 towers of four faces each, totaling 216 faces. There is still a debate as to who is being depicted in the faces. It could be Avalokiteshvara, Mahayana Buddhism's compassionate Bodhisattva, or perhaps a combination of King Jayavarman VII and Buddha.

King Jayavarman VII has got a Bodhisattva, an human who already got the Nirvana and turned to earth to teach the human being. It isn't proved but people say so. Other say that the faces are Buddha himself. But according to scholars, it is no coincidence that this are the portraits of King Jayavarman VII. A statue located today in the Musée Guimet in Paris, bears a strong resemblance to the face towers of the Bayon. The Bayon was the last state temple to be built at Angkor, and the only Angkorian state temple to be built primarily as a Mahayana Buddhist shrine dedicated to the Buddha, though a great number of minor and local deities were also encompassed as representatives of the various districts and cities of the realm.

The similarity of the 216 gigantic faces on the temple's towers to other statues of the king has led many scholars to the conclusion that the faces are representations of King Jayavarman VII himself. From the vantage point of the temple's the upper terrace, however, one is struck by "the serenity of the stone faces" occupying the many towers.

Dressed in traditionell costume, this beautiful team make some income by presenting themselves for a photo shoot. The face of king Jayavarman VII at the background.