Thommanon Temple

Thommanon Temple

Thommanon Temple

Date:                               Built in early twelfth century

Religion:                         Hinduism-Buddhism

King:                               Soryavarman II (1112-1150)

Posthumous name:    Paramavishnuloka

 

Thommanon is a small Hindu temple measuring 60m by 47m. It was built in early 12^th century by kingSuryavarman II (the builder of Angkor Wat). Its location is 500m to the east of the Victory Gate of Angkor Thom and it’s opposite to the Chao Say Tevoda temple.This temple also has a moatsurrounding.

 

Although, Thommanon is a small temple but it’s worth to see as it still has many beautiful Apsaracarvings on the building, especially, the Apsara carvings in the corner of the central tower.

 

Thommanon has two gates to enter its structure. The east gate which is the main entrance seems not completely finished while the west gate was well constructed. An addition, the west entrance structure has beautiful carvings in its pediment about Hindu legend. There’s an Agni shrine to the south of the central tower. Due to Thommanon was a Hindu temple, its lintels and pediments have carvings about Hindu myths such as: Ravana, a king of Demon, was shaking Mt.Kalasa to disturb Shiva and his followers’ meditation.

- Krisna, the 8^th Vishnu’s reincarnation, was lifting up Mt. Govendana to protect the shepherds and their animals from Indra’s rainstorm.

- Shiva’s meditation at Himalaya Mountain as well as Ramayana.