Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tomises the creative genius and inflated ego of this enigmatic figure. It's a place of
stooped corridors, precipitous flights of stairs and, best of all, a collection of 54 towers
decorated with 216 coldly smiling, enormous faces of Avalokiteshvara that bear more than
a passing resemblance to the great king himself. These huge heads glare down from every
angle, exuding power and control with a hint of humanity - this was precisely the blend
required to hold sway over such a vast empire, ensuring the disparate and far-flung popu-
lation yielded to his magnanimous will. As you walk around, a dozen or more of the heads
are visible at any one time - full face or in profile, almost level with your eyes or staring
down from up high.
Bayon is now known to have been built by Jayavarman VII, though for many years its
origins were unknown. Shrouded in dense jungle, it also took researchers some time to
realise that it stands in the exact centre of the city of Angkor Thom. There is still much
