Angkor Thom - Baphuon and beyond

Baphuon lies just to the north of Bayon. It is a pyramid temple mount originally rising about 50 metres. With the central tower missing its current height is about 34 metres. In the 1960s a French restoration project dismantled most of the temple, which was in a bad state of collapse. Each stone block was coded and placed in the fields to the west of the mount; where they lay today. During the incursion of the American war in Vietnam and the period of the Khmer Rouge the restoration work was halted, and worse, the plans indicating where each stone went were lost.

Baphuon is now the world's largest 3D puzzle with a missing lid — no picture.

We wander aimlessly among the directionless stones, numbered and moss covered. This is a great opportunity for me. Anna-Marie is always teasing me about my passion for photographing rocks. Here I get to satisfy my passion in a "legitimate" way.

As with most structures in Angkor, Baphuon shows the religious transformation of the empire from Hindi to Buddhist; years after initial construction the back of the mount was rebuilt with a 70 metre long bas relief reclining buddha.

North of Baphuon is the gated remnants of the Royal compound, dominated by another, smaller pyramid temple mount, Phimeanakas. Most of the structures of the Royal compound are gone. The temple is very steep and very decayed, but offers great views of the "city".

The ancient city of Angkor now resides in a dense tropical forest. Other than Angkor Wat all of these structures were overgrown by the jungle and the fantastical trees that cradle, support, and destroy the stone. The photos of Phreah Pililay, the small fragmented stone tower show the removal of a tree (inside the wooden scaffolding) and the tall stumps of three trees. It can take more than a month to cut down a tree, sawing through the dense an dheavy wood in layers small enough to handle.

To the east of the Royal compound are the two terraces that overlook what most likely was a parade ground for the ancient city. To the north is the Terrace of the Leper King, to the south the Terrace of Elephants. From these terraces the king could watch or be watched, address his subjects or perform religious and military functions. 

Across from the terraces are a series of towers. The function of these is uncertain, but speculation is that tight ropes between the towers provided a narrow surface for performers who entertained the king. There is also a theory that disputants before the courts were locked in separate towers for the duration of the court proceedings. Perhaps to speed those proceedings along?