Terrace of the Elephants & Terrace of the Leper King

The Royal Terraces, comprising of the Terrace of the Elephants to the South and the Terrace of the Leper King to the North, form the Eastern boundary of the Royal Palace grounds.

They face the parade grounds where processions, parades and other events were held. The King would watch the events standing on the Elephant terrace, which he also used as an audience hall to listen to the complaints and problems of the citizens of Angkor.

Both terraces contain extensive sculptings of Devatas, Apsaras, mythological animals and demons. The Elephants terrace and the Leper King terrace were restored during the 1990’s and 2000’s by the EFEO.

The Terrace of the Elephants

The Elephants terrace was built by King Jayavarman VII at the end of the 12^thcentury. The terrace stretches out over a length of more than 300 meters from the Baphuon in the South to the Leper King terrace to the North. The terrace is named for the sculptures in high relief of elephants and their mahouts. At several sections large elephant heads protrude out from the wall, their very long trunks forming pillars extending to the ground, similar to those of the gates of Angkor Thom.

The terrace was used as an audience hall and for public ceremonies. According to the accounts of Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan the King appeared daily on the Elephants terrace to listen to the complaints and problems of the citizens of his Kingdom. The parade grounds in front of the terrace were used as the scene for several festivals, games, processions and parades of the Khmer army watched by the King from the Elephants terrace.

The Elephants terrace consists of inner and outer sections. The inner sections were built first and later became buried under the soil during construction of the outer sections. The well preserved inner walls contain numerous carvings of Apsaras, warriors and animals like multi headed horses. The Northern end of the outside walls contains carvings of sports, such as Polo games, wrestlers and chariot racing. The Central section of the terrace contains carvings of Garudas, Kinnarees and elephants engaged in a hunt, as well as depictions of the Buddha.

The Terrace of the Leper King

The Leper King terrace is named after the “Leper King” statue that was found here. The terrace was built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12^th century, directly North of the Elephants terrace.

The Leper King terrace is believed to be built as a representation of Mount Meru, the center of the universe in Buddhist and Hindu cosmology. The 25 meter long terrace is completely covered with sculptings in high relief. Long rows of seated finely carved figures, mainly of multi headed Naga snakes, armed guardians, Garudas and female celestial beings decorate the walls.

The terrace consists of inner and outer walls. The inner walls were built first and became buried under the soil when the outer walls were constructed. The inner walls contain well preserved sculptings of multi headed Naga serpents, demons, princes and princesses. The outer walls contain carvings like a Palace scene with a sword swallower and Shiva holding a trident.

The “Leper King” statue was found on top of the terrace. According to local belief, the statue was a depiction of King Yasovarman I, who was also known as the Leper King as he suffered from leprosy. It is now assumed that the statue might represent Yama, the God of death. The statue now sitting atop the Leper King terrace is a copy, the original is kept in a museum in Pnomh Pen

                                                  Terrace of the Elephants

Name

Terrace of the Elephants
Terrace of the Leper King

Date

late 12^th century

King

Jayavarman VII

Location

Eastern boundary of Royal Palace grounds

Nearby

Royal Palace, Bayon, Baphuon

Bayon Temple of the mysterious stone face towers

The Bayon was the state temple of King Jayavarman VII, built at the end of the 12^th century. It is a mountain temple built to represent Mount Meru, the center of the universe in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology.

The King had the temple constructed in the center of Angkor Thom, the 9 km²large capital city of the Khmer empire. Four roads from the four entrance gopuras of Angkor Thom lead directly to the temple.

Unlike most Khmer temples, the Bayon is not surrounded by a moat and walls with gopura entrance gates. Archaeologists believe that instead the moat and walls of Angkor Thom served as the temple’s line of defense.

Buddhist temple with separate shrines for Vishnu and Shiva

The Bayon was built as a Buddhist temple. A statue of the main idol, a seated Buddha image sheltered under the hoods of the snake Mucalinda, was discovered in a pit under the main shrine. A few decades after the death of King Jayavarman VII, the temple was turned into a Hindu temple when King Jayavarman VIII reverted the official Khmer religion back to Hinduism; images of the Buddha were destroyed or turned into Hindu images.

Although the Bayon was a Buddhist temple, other Gods were also worshipped. Separate shrines were dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva, while countless other deities were worshipped.

The Bayon is best known for the mysterious faces on its many towers. Due to its many alterations over time, the structure is of a very complicated design and has a cluttered feel, with the many towers and other structures cramping the monument. The Bayon has three enclosures. The galleried 3^rd and 2^ndenclosure, and the inner enclosure, which contains the 3^rd floor platform with the central sanctuary.

Two concentric galleries are sculpted with bas reliefs. The inner galleries contain mainly religious and mythological scenes, while the outer galleries mainly show historical events, battles and scenes from daily life.

At some point the temple was deserted and became overgrown by thick jungle. Clearing of the monument was done in the 1910’s. The face towers and the central sanctuary were restored by the EFEO in the 1940’s using the anastylosis method. Since the end of the 20^th century, the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (JSA) maintains the monument.

The Bayon’s face towers

The Bayon is best known for its large number of serene faces sculpted on its towers. Originally there were 49 towers, decorated with large carved faces looking into each of the four cardinal directions. Close to 200 faces, the largest ones being almost 2½ meters high, decorate the 37 remaining towers of the first and second enclosure. While most towers contain four faces, some only have three, and one tower only bears a single face, probably due to a lack of space.

Initially the faces were believed to represent Brahma, the Hindu God of creation depicted with four heads. When it was later established that the Bayon was not a Hindu temple but a Buddhist one, archaeologists believed the faces to be of Lokeshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. The similarity of statues of Jayavarman VII and the face towers had led some to believe that it is the King himself whose face is depicted on the towers.

Approach from the East

Approaching the Bayon from the East is a large terrace with guardian lions and Naga balustrades. To the left and right of the terrace used to be large pools, the remains of which can still be seen. A cruciform gopura gives entrance to the third enclosure.

The third enclosure

The third enclosure measures 160 meters long by 140 meters wide. It consists of galleries with 4 pavilions at the corners and 4 gopura entrance gates at the center of each side. The pillars of the galleries are decorated with a great number of dancing Apsaras.

The 3^rd enclosure outer galleries contain extensive sculpted bas reliefs, mainly depicting scenes of historical events, battles and scenes from daily life in Angkor. They provide a good source of information about historical events and the way Angkor people lived at the late 12^th to early 13^th century. Inside the third enclosure, on either side of the Eastern entrance gopura is a library building.

The second enclosure

The second enclosure measures 80 meters long by 70 meters wide. They consist of corner galleries and inner galleries built on different levels. Its corner towers and intermediate towers are decorated with large faces of Lokeshvara. The bas reliefs sculpted on the galleries contain mainly Hindu religious and mythological scenes.

The circular, narrow and rather dark inner galleries were likely built first. The inner galleries contained a large number of sculptings of the Buddha. Only a few have survived. Most of them were destroyed or turned into Shavite images during the Hindu reaction of Jayavarman VIII in the 13^th century. Built around the inner galleries, the rectangular corner galleries are at a lower level than the inner galleries. They were probably added later.

The first enclosure

The first enclosure consists of the 3^rd floor platform holding the central sanctuary. Like the 2^nd enclosure, the images of the Buddha have been destroyed or turned into Shavite images.

The central sanctuary that has a 5 meter diameter is accessed on the East through a number of chambers and vestibules. On either side is a structure, that might have been libraries. Around the circular central sanctuary are eight sanctuary towers bearing sculpted faces, forming the circular first enclosure. Around it are four satellite sanctuaries. The Western sanctuary is dedicated to Vishnu, the Northern one to Shiva. Next to each of them, on the 2^nd floor is a structure that might have been a library. The Southern sanctuary is dedicated to the Buddha.

During excavation works of the central sanctuary, a large broken Buddha image was discovered in a pit under the sanctuary. The 3.60 meter high image in the meditation mudra is seated on the coiled body of the snake Mucalinda, sheltered by its hood. The image has been restored and is now enshrined in a pavilion at a Buddhist terrace named Vihear Prampil Loveng, along the way from the Royal Palace East to the Victory gate.

Face towers of the Bayon

Name

Bayon, Prasat Bayon

Date

Late 12^th, early 13^th century

King

Jayavarman VII

Location

In the center of Angkor Thom

Nearby

Royal Palace, Phimeanakas, Baphuon

Bakong First of Angkor’s large mountain temples

The Bakong is the first of the large mountain temples in Angkor. It belongs to the Roluos group, build at the end of the 9^th century.

The Bakong and the other temples of the Roluos group, like the Preah Ko and the Lolei were build in Hariharalaya, an early capital of the Khmer empire. This area is now called Roluos, located North of Tonle Sap lake, about 15 kilometers East of Siem Reap.

State temple of King Indravarman I

The Bakong was build by King Indravarman I, who also build the Preah Ko temple and the huge Indratataka baray, a reservoir where water was stored to be used for irrigation during the dry season.

It was the state temple of King Indravarman I, dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. A stele found at the site states that the Bakong’s main linga named Sri Indresvara was consecrated in the temple in the year 881. The main linga, which is a representation of Shiva, is usually enshrined in the central tower of the Khmer temple.

One of the main attractions of the Bakong temple is its lintels, that contain very intricate, detailed and well preserved carvings of mythical creatures like Nagas and Makaras.

Moats and the first Naga bridges

The Bakong is a sandstone monument enclosed by two moats. The outer enclosure is delimited on each side by a laterite wall with a gopura, an entrance gate with a tower on top of it. Between the inner and outer moat are the remains of 22 brick temple buildings, most of which have collapsed. They contained statues of Vishnu, Shiva and a number of lingas.

The moat outside the inner enclosure is crossed by paved causeways, with huge seven headed Naga snakes on its sides. They are the first examples of Naga bridges, found in many of the later Angkor temples.

Inner enclosure

The inner enclosure contains a five stepped pyramid surrounded by eight brick towers. On top of the pyramid is a single sanctuary tower. In front of the temple on the Eastern entrance are two long halls positioned between two of the surrounding towers. At each of the four corners of the inner enclosure are brick buildings called libraries, although they probably did not contain any scriptures.

Around the pyramid are eight square brick towers, some of which have collapsed. Originally they were plastered on the outside and contained figures of dvarapalas and devatas, a few of which have survived. All towers have a real door the the East, the other three are false doors. The door knobs on the false doors are shaped like lion heads. The lintels in the towers contain some of the finest decorations to be seen in Angkor, with very intricate depictions like Vishnu on top of Garuda, warrior figures, animals and mythological creatures like makaras and Naga snakes.

Five stepped pyramid

The five receding terraces in the inner enclosure in the shape of a stepped pyramid were built to resemble Mount Meru, the sacred mountain in Hindu mythology. The tiers of the pyramid measure 67 by 65 meters at its base and 20 by 18 meters at the fifth tier. At the center of each side is a stairway flanked on either side by guardian lions. The stairway, divided into five parts becomes narrower at each higher level to make the temple look larger than it actually is using perspective.

In front of the stairway is a large entrance gate. Opposite each of the stairs is a statue of Nandi, the sacred bull and mount of Shiva. The corners of the first three tiers contain statues of elephants. All the way around the perimeter of the fifth terrace is a frieze with bas relief sculptings, that have mostly eroded.

Bakong temple

Name

Bakong

Date

881

King

Indravarman I

Location

Village of Roluos, just South of National Highway 6

Nearby

Preah Ko, Prasat Prei Monti

Angkor Wat

Angkor’s most impressive and best known temple, Angkor Wat is the best preserved of all the Angkor monuments. The temple is an object of pride for Cambodia, its depiction appears on the national flag.

Angkor Wat, which means temple city is located just South of the Khmer capital Angkor Thom.

It is a richly decorated, very large temple; the total temple area including the moat measures 1.5 kilometers long by 1.3 kilometers wide, or a total of about 2 square kilometers. Angkor Wat is the biggest Hindu temple in Cambodia.

Height of architectural skills of the Khmer

The temple represents the height of architectural skills of the Khmer builders. Its very detailed carved bas reliefs that cover much of the temple shows impressive craftsmanship. Unlike other Angkor temples, Angkor Wat is oriented towards the West and dedicated to Vishnu, where previous temples face East and are dedicated to Shiva.

Angkor Wat was the state temple of King Suryavarman II, who built the temple during the first half of the 12^th century. He was one of Angkor’s greatest Kings who ruled for almost 40 years and expanded the Khmer empire. Some historians believe that the temple also served as a funerary temple for the King. This could explain its orientation to the West; the setting sun (in the West) symbolizes the end of the cycle of life.

Mount Meru, the center of Hindu cosmology

Angkor Wat is a mountain temple build to represent Mount Meru, the center of the world in Hindu cosmology. The temple’s five prasats or sanctuary towers represent the peaks of the sacred mountain, while the moats represent the oceans that surround Mount Meru.

The temple’s three tiers are surrounded by large galleries, that were introduced in earlier temples like the Ta Keo. One of Angkor Wat’s major attractions are the many intricate and well preserved bas reliefs with depictions of scenes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as many hundreds of statues of female devatas, a Hindu deity.

Angkor Wat was cleared at the start of the 20^th century, after which extensive restoration work has been carried out. Around the end of the 13^th century Angkor Wat was converted into a Buddhist temple.

Approach to the temple

Surrounding the temple complex is a 190 meter wide moat. At the Western end is a 12 meter wide bridge, in front of which is a terrace where lions and Nagasnakes guard the temple. Crossing the bridge the visitor approaches the impressive Western gate, which was build to resemble the front view of the temple itself.

The structure consists of long galleries with a three part gopura topped by towers that have partly collapsed. At both ends of the structure is a pavilion, large enough to enable elephants to go through. The Western gate contains apsaras and devatas as well as magnificent carvings on its lintels showing Vishnu, Garuda, warriors and scenes from the epic Ramayana. Only after passing the Western gate, the Angkor Wat temple comes in sight.

Behind the Western gate is a 350 meter long processional walkway elevated about 1½ meters above the ground towards the temple. On either side of the walkway is a library building. Past the libraries are two lakes, reflecting the silhouette of the of Angkor Wat’s towers. The temple itself is build on raised platform about 330 meters long and 255 meters wide. The structure comprises of three rectangular tiers each higher one smaller than the one below it encircled by long galleries with corner towers and a gopura in the center of its sides.

Bas reliefs galleries of the third tier

The third tier is surrounded by long concentric galleries. Its walls contain some of the finest and best preserved bas reliefs of Angkor Wat, including:

• The battle of Lanka, a storey from the epic Ramayana, where Rama fights Ravana who abducted his wife Sita
• The battle of Kurukshetra from the epic Mahabharata, between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, depicting soldiers and commanders on elephants or riding chariots
• A 90 meter panel of the Royal Procession. Two sections depict King Suryavarman II and a procession of court ladies, another section shows a procession of soldiers on foot or on horses and elephants and a parade of Brahmin priests
• The Heavens and Hells and the Judgement of Sinners by Yama, the Hindu God of Death. Depictions of the 37 heavens with palaces with servants and the 32 hells and the punishments and tortures received there, each one for a specific sin committed
• The churning of the ocean of milk, a 50 meter long panel. This storey from the Mahabharata tells how an elixir of immortality over which the Gods and the demons fight is produced by churning the ocean with Mount Meru used as the churning rod
• Vishnu and his incarnation Krishna
• The victory of Vishnu over the asuras
• The abduction of Shiva by Ravana
• Other scenes from the Ramayana

Within the third enclosure, right after passing the main entrance on the West end are galleries that delimit four courtyards. Its walls are decorated with devatas, apsaras and rishis, while the pediments contain carvings of Vishnu and Krishna, one of Vishnu’s incarnations. The galleries also contain a number of Buddha images, placed there after Angkor Wat was converted into a Buddhist temple.

                                                   View of Angkor Wat from the West

Name

Angkor Wat, Prasat Angkor Wat

Date

First half of the 12^th century

King

Suryavarman II

Location

Just South of Angkor Thom

Nearby

Phnom Bakheng

Phnom Bakheng First temple with 5 towers representing Mount Meru

The Phnom Bakheng temple was build around the year 900 in Yasodharapura by King Yasovarman I, also known as the leper King, as he suffered from leprosy.

Yasovarman I moved the capital of the Khmer empire from Hariharalaya to Yasodharapura, near current day Siem Reap where Angkor Wat was to be build more than 200 years later.

Mountain temple dedicated to Shiva

The Phnom Bakheng is a mountain temple dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. King Yasovarman I made this the state temple, the most important temple of the Kingdom. It harbored the most sacred linga in Angkor.

The temple is located on top of a 70 meter high hill. From the top there are great views of the surrounding area including Angkor Wat and and two other temples build on hill tops, the Phnom Krom and the Phnom Bok. It is a popular place to view the sunset, which can make the temple very crowded at times.

Representation of the mythological Mount Meru

The Phnom Bakheng is the first Angkor temple that has five prang towers on top of the pyramid to represent the five peaks of Mount Meru. In comparison, the Bakong temple, build around 2 decades earlier, has just one prasat. Many of the Angkor temples were build to be a representation of Mount Meru, the sacred mountain with five mountain peaks from Hindu mythology.

Layout of the temple

The temple area was surrounded by a moat. In front of the stairway leading to the hilltop temple are two 2½ meter high lion statues standing guard. A path leads to the main entrance, that faces East.

Just before the remains of the laterite wall with the gopura entrance gate are a few pillars that remain of a building, and a structure of a later date that contains a footprint of the Buddha. In front of the Eastern side of the stepped pyramid are two sandstone library buildings with entrances to the East and West.

Five stepped pyramid

The pyramid of the Phnom Bakheng consists of five receding tiers measuring 76 meters at its base and 47 meters at the top level. On the platform of the fifth tier are the large central sanctuary, surrounded by four smaller sanctuaries. The towers enshrined lingas, some of which are still there. The large central tower had four doors, whereas usually there is just one entrance (usually East), while the others are false doors. The North side of the central prang contains an inscription dating from the reign of King Jayavarman V (968 - 1001).

On the towers are finely carved statues of devatas (guardian spirits) and apsaras (a divine female usually depicted dancing). The lintels and pediments on the prasats show several depictions, like naga snakes and warrior figures.

109 Sanctuary towers

A total of 109 sanctuary towers were build at the site, 44 around the base of the pyramid, 60 on the five tiers of the pyramid and the 5 large prasats on top. Today only part of the central prang still exists, while very little remains of the four surrounding smaller towers. Most of the 60 around the base have not survived.

At the center of each side of the pyramid is a stairway leading to the platform on top. The very steep stairway is guarded by lions. Opposite each of the stairs was a Nandi bull (the mount of Shiva), of which fragments remain.

                                           Sanctuary of the Phnom Bakheng

Name

Phnom Bakheng

Date

Around 900

King

Yasovarman I

Location

South of Angkor Thom South gate, just North of Angkor Wat

Nearby

Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Prasat Bayon

Cambodia A country with a rich history and beautiful beaches

One of the world’s poorest countries, Cambodia is bordered by Thailand, Vietnam and Laos and by the Gulf of Thailand in the South. The Mekong, one of the world’s longest rivers, runs through the country.

Capital and largest city is Phnom Penh, a city where Cambodia’s colonial past is clearly visible in the old French quarters architecture.

Much of Cambodia has a rural character with rice fields scattered over the country. Cambodia is a Buddhist country with a largely conservative population. Most of its people are involved in small scale farming.

Tourism is one of the fastest growing sources of income and employment for the country, with the magnificent Khmer era temples of the Angkor Archaeological Park being the main attraction.

History of Cambodia

Cambodia is known the world over for its rich history. The Khmer empire that was founded at the start of the 9^th century grew out to be one of the most powerful empires ever to exist in South East Asia. At the height of its power the empire extended out across much of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Many impressive monuments were build such as Angkor Wat and the Bayon, that are today a major tourist attraction and a source of pride for the country.

The power of the Khmer empire came to an end after an invasion by the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1431. The state religion during the Khmer era was Hinduism; Shiva and Vishnu were worshipped until the 13^th century, when Buddhism became prevalent.

Recent history

Cambodia was colonized by France in 1863 and stayed under French control until 1953. French influence is still clearly visible in the colonial style buildings of Battambang and the French quarter of Phnom Penh. From 1975 until 1979 Cambodia was under control of the Khmer Rouge, the communist party led by Pol Pot. The regime tried to implement agricultural reforms, which led to widespread famine. More than one million people died of starvation, exhaustion or execution. This era in Cambodia’s history is known from the movie “The Killing Fields”.

To do & see in Cambodia

Cambodia is an increasingly popular tourist destination, the main destinations being Angkor, Phnom Penh and the beaches around Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand.

Angkor Archaeological Park & Siem Reap

Most visitors to Cambodia visit the Angkor Archaeological Park, an area of more than 400 square kilometers near the town of Siem Reap. This area was the scene of one of the world’s most developed civilizations of its time. A large number of impressive monuments as Angkor Wat and the Bayon remain in a well preserved state.

Angkor night market

The Angkor night market in Siem Reap is a good place to try your bargaining skills, pick up some souvenirs, try local food or enjoy a Cambodian massage.

Apsara dance performance

Several of the more upmarket hotels in Siem Reap organise dinner and Apsara dance shows. They are named after the Apsaras, female celestial beings depicted on many of the Angkor temples. In Khmer mythology they entertain the Gods and are usually seen dancing. During the Khmer era these dances were performed for the rulers of the Khmer empire.

Sihanoukville beaches

Around the town of Sihanoukville are a number of sandy beaches. While some of them are very quiet, most beaches have facilities like beach chairs, bars and restaurants as well as accommodation options. For a gamble, try one of the Sihanoukville casinos.

Phnom Penh

Being the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh has many sites worth a visit, a few of them being the Royal Palace, the Independence Monument, the National Museum and the colonial houses of the old French quarter.

The city houses countless Buddhist temples like the Wat Phnom, a beautiful temple dating back to the 14^th century and the Wat Botum, a 15^th century temple. The central market Phsar Thmey is an enormous market in the center of town with countless stalls where almost everything seems to be for sale.

The Killing Fields Choeung Ek South of town is one of the sites where huge numbers of people were executed during the Khmer Rouge regime. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh was a prison where the prisoner cells can be viewed and where photos and other items of the Khmer Rouge era are on display.

                                             Angkor - Cambodia’s main attraction

Shwedagon Pagoda

The elegant Shwedagon Pagoda is Yangon’s most famous landmark. The massive 99 meter high gold plated pagoda with the diamond studded spire set on top of a small hill in downtown Yangon dominates the area and is visible from much of the city. After dark there is a mystical atmosphere with the pagoda lit up by spotlights.

The very impressive pagoda, also known as the Golden Pagoda, is Burma’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage site. The main stupa enshrines sacred relics of the Gautama Buddha as well as the three previous Buddhas.

History of the Shwedagon Pagoda

According to legend the pagoda is more than 2,500 years old dating back to the lifetime of the Buddha, making it the oldest pagoda in Burma. Historical evidence suggests the pagoda was built by the Mon around the 6^th century. Since then the Pagoda has been enlarged and renovated many times, and numerous smaller stupas and other structures have been added.

The Sularata Nat that found the spot to build the pagoda

According to legend two merchant brothers from Okkalapa (present day Yangon) who lived about 2,500 years ago met the Buddha in India. The Buddha gave them eight of His hairs and told them to enshrine them in the same spot on a hill in Okkalapa where relics of the previous three reincarnations of the Buddha were buried.

The brothers returned to Okkalapa and presented the Buddha relics to their King, who started searching for the spot. After years of searching in vain a Nat spirit called Sularata decided to help the King. The Nat who was millions of years old hat witnessed the visits of the previous three Buddhas and remembered the spot on Singuttara hill where the relics were enshrined. It was at this spot that the Shwedagon pagoda was built.

Temple complex

There are four entrances to the complex, all of which except the Eastern one have either an escalator or an elevator. All are guarded by enormous Chinthes, Burmese mythological lions with a white body and golden colored head. The upper part of the walls at the entrances to the complex are decorated with beautiful Burmese style depictions of the Jataka tales, the stories about the previous lives of the Buddha.

The center of the large complex is formed by a large platform measuring 275 meters long with the main stupa and many smaller stupas surrounding it. The main stupa enshrines relics of the four previous Buddhas including sacred hair relics of the most recent Buddha.

                                   Gold plated main stupa of the Shwedagon pagoda

Sule Pagoda Ancient octagonal pagoda in the center of Yangon

The Sule Paya is a small pagoda located in the center of Yangon. The pagoda, known in Burmese as the Kyaik Athok Zedi, is surrounded by busy streets, a market and colonial era buildings like the Supreme court building and Yangon city hall.

According to legend the pagoda was built during the lifetime of the Gautama Buddha, about 2,500 years ago. The pagoda was much smaller at the time. It has been renovated and enlarged several times by later Kings. The paya reached its present height when it was renovated halfway the 15^th century.

Named after the Sule Nat

The Sule pagoda is named after Sularata, the Sule Nat (spirit) who lived at the spot where the pagoda now stands. According to legend Sularata, a Nat millions of years old found the spot where relics of the three reincarnations of the Buddha were buried, and the location where the Shwedagon pagoda was to be build some 2,500 years ago. Nat spirits have been worshipped for centuries in Burma, even before the arrival of Buddhism.

The Sule is much less visited than the better known Shwedagon.

Octagonal golden pagoda

The Sule’s golden Mon style pagoda measures 44 meters high. Unusual in its design is its octagonal shape, that continues all the way up to the spire. The pagoda is topped with a hti, a multi tiered ornamental element shaped as an umbrella. The Sule Paya is highly revered because it enshrines a hair relic of the Buddha. A steady flow of Burmese devotees make merit and bring offerings.

Other structures on the grounds

Around the pagoda is a circular structure housing small shops where services as astrology and palmistry are offered. Four entrances topped with multi tiered Pyatthat roofs provide access to the Sule grounds. Shrines around the pagoda house images of the Buddha, bronze bells are rung by Buddhist devotees making merit.

Several depictions of a Hintha bird, the symbol of Bago, can be found on the temple grounds. One of the mythological birds with a miniature pagoda on its back sits on top of a pole in a lotus flower, another one with a shrine on its back hangs down from a steel cable. Several images of Nat spirits are found on the Sule grounds. Nat spirits have been worshipped in Burma for centuries, the most important ones live on Mount Popa.

                                                             Sule pagoda

The hair relic of the Buddha

According to legend two Burmese brothers met the Buddha not long after he had reached enlightenment. The Buddha gave the brothers eight of his hairs and told them to enshrine the hair relics on Singuttara Hill, where relics of the three previous Buddhas had already been enshrined. The brothers returned to Burma and gave the Buddha’s hair relics to the King. The spot where the relics of previous Buddhas were enshrined was found. At that spot a relic chamber was built and a Pagoda was built over it.

Other structures of the Shwedagon temple

The large temple complex contains many other beautiful and interesting structures. The Naungdawgyi Pagoda where only men are allowed to go is the place where according to legend the hair relics of the Buddha were placed before they were enshrined in the main stupa.

A prayer hall contains a 8 meter long Reclining Buddha image.

The Bell Pavilion houses a 23 tons heavy bell cast in the second half of the 18^thcentury. Another pavilion contains a 9 meter high sitting Buddha image wearing a golden robe.

A very attractive pagoda which resembles the Mahabodhi temple in India is decorated with very colorful Buddhist depictions.

The Arakanese Prayer Pavilion has very fine wood carvings, while another pavilion contains murals with scenes from the Jataka tales, the previous lives of the Buddha.

A great number of intricately decorated pavilions with multi tiered roofs called Pyatthat and several Tazaungs, a Burmese temple pavilion enshrining Buddha images are dotted around the complex.

While the oldest original structure of the Shwedagon is what is within the main stupa, the oldest dated structure is the Dhammazedi inscription. This tablet written in Burmese, Mon and ancient Pali language on the pagoda platform dated 1485 contains information about the history of the Golden Pagoda.

The world’s largest bell

Dhammazedi, King of the Pegu Kingdom during the end of the 15^th century had an enormous bell cast in the year 1484. The bell, that is believed the largest bell ever cast weighing almost 300 tons was installed in the Shwedagon Pagoda.

In 1608 a Portuguese named Philip de Brito e Nicote who ruled Syriam (present day Thanlyin) as a Portuguese colony stole the Great Bell as he wanted to melt it down to produce cannons. The raft carrying the bell however sunk in the Yangon river. The bell is still at the bottom of the river today.

How to get to the Shwedagon Pagoda

The Shwedagon Pagoda is located in downtown Yangon on Shwedagon Pagoda Road on Singuttara Hill, Dagon township, just West of Kandawgyi Lake. A taxi from the downtown are to the pagoda should cost some US$ 3 - 4. Agree on the price first, often the meter will not be used.

Entrance fee & opening hours

The temple is open daily from 6 am until 10 pm. Admission is US$ 5 per person. A guide for a couple of hours will cost about US$ 5 - 10. Please dress respectfully meaning no revealing clothes, no shorts. Longyis (long cloth worn by Burmese men) are available at the ticket booth. Before entering the temple grounds, please remove shoes and socks. Leave them at the entrance or carry them with you in a plastic bag. The grounds can get very busy, especially during weekends and Buddhist holidays.

Shwedagon Pagoda 99 meter high gold plated stupa topped with diamond studded hti

The elegant Shwedagon Pagoda is Yangon’s most famous landmark. The massive 99 meter high gold plated pagoda with the diamond studded spire set on top of a small hill in downtown Yangon dominates the area and is visible from much of the city. After dark there is a mystical atmosphere with the pagoda lit up by spotlights.

The very impressive pagoda, also known as the Golden Pagoda, is Burma’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage site. The main stupa enshrines sacred relics of the Gautama Buddha as well as the three previous Buddhas.

History of the Shwedagon Pagoda

According to legend the pagoda is more than 2,500 years old dating back to the lifetime of the Buddha, making it the oldest pagoda in Burma. Historical evidence suggests the pagoda was built by the Mon around the 6^th century. Since then the Pagoda has been enlarged and renovated many times, and numerous smaller stupas and other structures have been added.

The Sularata Nat that found the spot to build the pagoda

According to legend two merchant brothers from Okkalapa (present day Yangon) who lived about 2,500 years ago met the Buddha in India. The Buddha gave them eight of His hairs and told them to enshrine them in the same spot on a hill in Okkalapa where relics of the previous three reincarnations of the Buddha were buried.

The brothers returned to Okkalapa and presented the Buddha relics to their King, who started searching for the spot. After years of searching in vain a Nat spirit called Sularata decided to help the King. The Nat who was millions of years old hat witnessed the visits of the previous three Buddhas and remembered the spot on Singuttara hill where the relics were enshrined. It was at this spot that the Shwedagon pagoda was built.

Temple complex

There are four entrances to the complex, all of which except the Eastern one have either an escalator or an elevator. All are guarded by enormous Chinthes, Burmese mythological lions with a white body and golden colored head. The upper part of the walls at the entrances to the complex are decorated with beautiful Burmese style depictions of the Jataka tales, the stories about the previous lives of the Buddha.

The center of the large complex is formed by a large platform measuring 275 meters long with the main stupa and many smaller stupas surrounding it. The main stupa enshrines relics of the four previous Buddhas including sacred hair relics of the most recent Buddha.

Since the Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred place for Buddhists in Burma, large numbers of devotees come to the Shwedagon every day. They walk around the stupa and make offerings to the Buddha.

At each corner of the octagonal pagoda is a shrine with a Buddha image (one for each day of the week, Wednesday is split into two). Every shrine has a planet and an animal sign associated with it in accordance with Eastern astrology. Burmese people pray to the shrine belonging to their day of birth burning candles, offering flowers and pouring water over the image.

The gold plated main stupa with the diamond studded hti

The main stupa is the temple’s most impressive structure. It is visible at its hilltop location from much of Yangon city. The stupa is surrounded by 64 small stupas.

The 99 meters high main stupa is completely covered with gold plating and enshrines the sacred Buddha relics. Its core is solid and not open to the public.

A seven spired hti, an ornament shaped as an umbrella with golden bells attached to it is placed at the top of the pagoda. The hti is decorated with thousands of diamonds and other precious stones.

If you stand in the right spot of the pagoda platform, you will see the reflection of the rays of the sun from the huge diamond on top of the gold plated hti in various colors like red, purple and orange.

Karaweik Hall & Kandawgyi Lake

The Karaweik Hall, also known as Karaweik Palace is one of Yangon’s many landmarks. From a distance the Karaweik Hall looks like a huge golden barge floating on Kandawgyi Lake, glittering in the sun.

After dark the Karaweik barge is lit up in spotlights, the golden stupa reflecting in the water of Lake Kandawgyi.

The hall actually is a concrete structure looking like two enormous golden birds with a roof in the shape of a Pyatthat, a Burmese style multi tiered very ornate roof structure. The prow of the ship is built in the shape of a Karaweik, a bird from Burmese mythology. A golden ball is hanging from its beak. The back of the structure is formed by the tail of the Karaweik bird in red and gold colors, on top of the tail is a depiction of a Nat spirit

The Karaweik Hall was completed in 1974, its design based on the Pyi Gyi Mon Royal Barge. In the old days this barge was used by Burmese Kings to travel around the Kingdom. A working model of the Royal Barge can be seen at the Phaung Daw U pagoda in Inle Lake. During the annual Phaung Daw U festival the Karaweik Barge carrying Buddha images is towed over the large lake.

Traditional Burmese entertainment and buffet

Inside Karaweik Hall are reception halls, conference rooms, buffet restaurants and theatres. Visitors can enjoy an extensive buffet, a selection of Chinese, Burmese and Western food while watching a variety of traditional Burmese entertainment. The entertainment which lasts some 2½ to 3 hours consists of shows like Burmese puppet show, the elephant dance and traditional Burmese dancing. The dancers wear traditional style Burmese costumes. There is also an exhibition of Burmese arts, handicrafts and traditional costumes.

Kandawgyi Lake

The Karaweik Hall is located in the South East corner of Kandawgyi Lake, a large lake in downtown Yangon. On the Southern end of the lake is a boardwalk (entrance fee 2,000 Kyat), around the park are several open air restaurants.

Several places in the park offer good views of the Shwedagon pagoda, especially after dark when the pagoda is lit up by spotlights.

Every November the lake is the scene of the annual traditional boat races.

How to get to Karaweik Hall

The Karaweik Hall is found in the South East corner of Kandawgyi Lake a few hundred meters East of the Shwedagon pagoda. A taxi from downtown Yangonshould cost around US$ 3 - 5.

Entrance fee & opening hours

The Kandawgyi Lake and park opens daily until 10 pm. Entrance fee to the Karaweik Hall is 300 Kyat, around 0.50 US$. The traditional Burmese entertainment starts around 6:30 pm until about 9:30. Price of the buffet including a few drinks and the entertainment costs around US$ 20 per person.

                                        Karaweik Hall on Kandawgyi Lake.