MangoVine
Adventures in East Asia
Angkor Thom Part 4 - Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King
07 December, 2009Monday The Terrace of the Elephants was part of the walled city of Angkor Thom, used by Angkor's King Jayavarman VII as a platform from which to view his victorious returning army. It's named for the carvings of elephants on its eastern face.
The three hundred and fifty metre long Terrace of Elephants was also used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king's grand audience hall.
Next to the Terrace of the Elephants was the Terrace of the Leper King.
Atop the terrace was a statue depicting the Hindu god Yama, the god of Death. He was called the Leper King because discoloration and moss growing on the original statue was reminiscent of a person with leprosy, and also because it fit in with a Cambodian legend of an Angkorian king who had leprosy.
Our guide explains some of the carvings along the wall. This one below depicts an elephant fighting a lion that's almost the same size.
On Wikipedia : Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King
This entry posted in : Cambodia. History. Tourism.
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