BAPHUON TEMPLE

BAPHUON TEMPLE (Sva-ra-natry), “Golden Mountain”
 - Location : Baphuon is located 200 meters northwest of Bayon and south of Phimeanakas.
 - Access : enter and leave the temple from the east entrance.
 - Date : middle of the 11th century (1055-1066).
 - King : Udayadityavarman 2nd. - Religion : Hinduism.
- Art-style : Baphuon. - Clearance worked by Mr. Jean Commaille (1908-1914).
 - Protection worked by Mr. Henri Marchal (1916-1918).
 - Dismantle worked by Mr. Bernard Philippe Groslier (1960-1972).
 - A French team came to study and survey the temple in 1989.

 1. BACKGROUND
The grandeur of Baphuon as described by a Chinese diplomat (Zhou Da Guan) is unrecognizable in today because of the poor condition of the temple. This temple was formerly located at the center of “Yasodharapura 2” and surrounded by an earth embankment, but mostly ruined; except the second sandstone wall is (125 meters wide by 425 meters long), which had 2 gates. The temple connected to the south wall of The Royal Palace. An interesting feature of Baphuon is the bas-reliefs, which are scenes carved in Small Square and the narrative themes are realistic depictions of daily life and forest scenes.

 2. LAY-OUT
Baphuon is a single temple mountain situated on ah high base is of 50 meters high from the top to the bottom; that represented to “Mountain Meru” with 5 levels that are approximately the same size the first three levels are surrounded by sandstone galleries. The base of the temple is (90 meters wide by 115 meters long) and 5 meters in height. Baphuon was the sirst temple in which the stone galleries with a central tower called (The Copper tower or The Gold mountain: Sva.ra.natry) Zhou Da Guan said in 1296. The sandstone bridge, which linked to the main temple is (200 long by 2 meters wide and 1.5 meters high) flanked by two pools it was supported by 3 rows of short sandstone columns. If we pass the tow rectangular pools, we will see a rectangular paved pool is (28 meters wide by 37 meters long). In the courtyard of the first level there are two libraries on the left side and right side, but today is in poor condition. On the west side of the third gallery is almost disappeared and the pieces of stone had been taken into the shape of an unknown reclining Buddha: (Soy-nea-mudra) that spans the length of the west wall the heard is on the left facing the temple. It is an abstract form and the outline of this Buddha is difficult to distinguish. A stairway leading to the top in the middle of the Buddha.

 3. TOP LEVEL
The top level is (36 meters wide by 42 meters long) in poor condition. Originally, there was a central tower, which stored a linga: “Tri-pou-va-pa-chou-da-mony”. Each side of the stairway to the main tower is carved with fine animated figures.