Angkor Thom South Gate
| Date: | Late 12th - early 13th century |
| Style: | Bayon |
| King: | Jayavarman VII (reign 1181 – 1220 CE) |
| Cult: | Mahayana Buddhist |
The South Gate (Khmer: ខ្លោងទ្វារទន្លេអុំ) is Angkor Thom’s best-preserved causeway and entrance tower, with some lovely decorative details.
The South Gate provides the most common access route to Angkor Thom, predominantly because it sits on the path between the two great Angkor complexes; Angkor Wat Temple and Angkor Thom.
The gate is a wonderful introduction to Angkor Thom with well-restored statues of asuras (demons) and devas (gods) lining the bridge. The figures on the left, as you approach the gate outside Angkor Thom, exhibiting serene expressions, are the devas, while those on the right, with grimaced, fierce-looking heads, are the asuras.
The asuras and devas both carry a naga balustrade, across the bridge, symbolic of a link between the world of mortals, outside the complex, and the world of gods, inside the complex.
The 23m (75') high gate features four faces in a similarly styled fashion to those of the Bayon.
Map of The South Gate of Angkor Thom
Also in Angkorpedia
