Thommanon Temple one of the magnificence of Angkor

Thommanon Temple

Thommanon temple is a small, but a worth seeing one, situated 500 meters east of Angkor Thom's Victory Gate. A single-towered temple dedicated to Brahmanism, it was built in the late 11th and early 12th century by King Suryavarman II.

The temple complex is rectangular in shape with a sanctuary opening to the east, a moat, a rampart and two gopuras both located on the east and west. A library is also situated nearby on the southeast of the temple.
Thommanon temple is a part of Angkor Archaeological Park, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

Thommanon Temple

Thonmmanon seems to stand in conjunction with Chao Say Tevoda, located just across the road going to the gate, but was built decades earlier. The temple's carving are well preserved and the aged sandstone provides as distinct contrast to the surrounding jungle. Thommanon is in much better condition than the Chao Say Tevoda as it had undergone restoration by the French archaeologists in the 1960's. The structure and design of the temple has been concluded as  inspiration in building the Angkor Wat temple. It may not be one of the major landmarks in the park, but its fascinating beauty us surely worth-seeing.