Our next stop is Terrace of the Elephants. It's a walking distance from the Bayon. It is 300 meters long and about 2.5 meters high. It is adorned with sculptures of elephants and garudas. It also depicts scenes of dancers and warriors. It was constructed by the King Jayavarman VII, and completed by his successor. At its North end, the Terrace of the Elephants ends with the Terrace of the Leper King.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → It is what it is called - a terrace, which from a distance looks more like a wall.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → You can climb on it though and have a walk.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The walls of the terrace are covered in most part with relief sculptures of elephants. Some of them are a bit weird, to me, but I am sure they have a deeper meaning. Some show the elephants doing quite nasty violent things to other animals, bulls, etc. Fighting off evil?

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Here is one. This elephant lifted the bull by it's tail!

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → This one being quite nasty to another bull, choking it and lifting by it's neck.
 
By the way, the visible holes on the elephant's body are made by the creators on purpose. Centuries ago, these sculptures were covered with plaster, and painted. The holes helped better adhese the plaster to the stone.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The marching elephants.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The elephants motive changes to garudas.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → Another staircase to the terrace.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The mystical garudas.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The Terrace of the Leper King.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → The wall leading to the Terrace of the Leper King.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → There is an area between the walls (on the left) where you enter and walk among the superb ancient sculptures depicting a variety of characters, mythological beings, demons.

Photo:  Terrace of the Elephants, Angkor Wat, Cambodia → These inner walls have been excavated by archaeologists in the late 1990s, and they are generally in a fantastic shape. The dominating theme, as in many of the ancient temples, are the females.

After spending some time around the terraces, we are off to another location.
Continued on the:    Next Page