Bayon Temple

Bayon is the dramatic state temple of Angkor Thom, built in the late 12th to early 13th century by the Buddhist king Jayavarman VII. It is instantly recognizable for its 54 towers adorned with 216 colossal, serene stone faces that gaze out in four cardinal directions, believed to represent either the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara or the king himself. The temple's two levels of galleries are covered in exceptionally detailed bas-reliefs illustrating everyday Khmer life, military campaigns against the Cham, and vivid market scenes. Positioned at the precise center of Angkor Thom, Bayon was designed as the symbolic heart of the Khmer Empire, embodying the king's power and his deep Buddhist devotion.