North Gate – City of Angkor Thom

We continue with our tour around the Archaeological Park with a stop at the North gate of the City of Angkor Thom.

On this day, we stopped the tuk tuk, got out and ventured up a pathway alongside the entrance gate to the top wall that separates Angkor Thom from the rest of the Archaeological Park. We couldn’t believe how wide the top of the wall actually is, like a secret roadway surrounding the entire park.

It was an awesome experience to walk along the top of the wall and get up close and personal with the carved face of Buddha (or should I say, Shiva). You will understand why I say this, if you carry on reading…

It was also amazing to see the other side and we were heading towards, from the top of the wall.

A huge construction truck (probably from one of the restoration sites) was rather slowly and steadily trying to exit through the narrow gate, just making it. Watching this modern day truck trying to exit the park through this ancient gate, we were once again reminded of the joining of an ancient civilization with modern day times within the walls of this ancient, almost 1000 year old, city.

These ancient cities are being restored and are slowly reincarnating into the most magnificent cities to be visited and appreciated, telling stories of the lives of these ancient people and how they ruled, lived, worked and worshiped.

In 1000 years from now, will future archeologists be able to dig up and use the remains of our modern architecture to rebuild our cities and tell our stories to future generations.  Will our modern cities stand the test of time?

The North gate with the four carved faces of Buddha, above the gate, also known as the ‘face towers’ is in excellent condition.  The North gate is similar to the other gates, also featuring the massive gopura, with the smiling faces at each cardinal point.  Gopura, also spelled gopuram, in South Indian architecture, refers to an entrance gateway to a Hindu temple enclosure.

Theoun (Chan) pointed out to us, as we hadn’t noticed, that the carved Buddha faces had a 3^rd eye.  He went on to explain that Angkor Thom was originally build as a Buddhist city but when the new Hindu King came into power, a 3^rd eye was added to these Buddhist face carvings in order for these faces to better represent the Hindu god Shiva.  If you look closely, you can clearly see the 3^rd eye of Shiva.

It is believed that Shiva formed a third eye, from which fire emerged to recreate light and order in order to save the world from inevitable disaster. Shiva’s 3rd eye is often depicted as closed or by three horizontal lines in the middle of his forehead.

There are other carvings on the sides of the gates which are very similar to that of the South Gate, with the god Indra holding a thunderbolt in his lower left hand and sitting on top of an elephant. 

It is also very interesting to know that the four monumental faces at each of Angkor Thom’s five city gates, were not part of the original construction but added a few years or decades later.

In the wet season, lush green moss clings to the stonework, portraying that beautiful jungle atmosphere. 

The road to each gate is lined with carved stone balustrades with 54 gods on the left and 54 demons on the right, a total of 108 figures on each bridge, however the North Gate’s balustrades are less well preserved than those at the South Gate with most of the giant sculptures being headless.

We leave Angkor Thom and drive north east to the Ta Som Temple.  Another temple built in the 12^th century by King Jayavarman VII.

See you there…