| Thommanon
Temple (mid 12th century)
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Angkor, Cambodia |
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Thommanon is a small temple built at the end of Suryavarman II's reign, around the middle of the 12th century. It is nearly symmetrical to Chau Say Tevoda, another of Suryavarman's temples that stands nearby. Although the placement of Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda neatly frame the east causeway to the Angkor Thom complex, this was probably not the original intention, since in Suryavarman's time the center of the capital was closer to Angkor Wat. Thommanon is architecturally more advanced than its predecessors. The designers took advantage of the natural qualities of sandstone, rather than simply carving it in imitation of wood.
Bibliography:
Cohen, Joan Lebold. Angkor: The Monuments of the God Kings
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York. 1975
Freeman, Michael and Roger Warner. Angkor: The Hidden Glories
Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston. 1990
Jacques, Claude. Angkor: Cities and Temples
River Books Co., Ltd. Thailand. 1997.
All images copyright 2000 by Professor Yunsheng Huang