Ta Som Temple, Cambodia

is a small temple at Angkor, Cambodia
Ta Som Temple Ta Som Temple
Ta Som Temple built at the end of the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII.
Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Ta Prohm the temple was left largely unrestored.
Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Ta Som is surrounded by a moat and enclosed by three laterite.
Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Ta Som Temple is located north east of Angkor Thom and just east of Neak Pean.
Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Ta Som is accessed from the eastern Mebon.
Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia Ta Som Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Sitting pretty at Ta Som.
Tam Som Temple, Cambodia Tam Som Temple, Cambodia

Ta Som Temple overview

Ta Som Temple, a less well-known monument among several temples. This is a minor Buddhist temple in Cambodia’s Angkor Thom Complex, located to the east of Neak Pean artificial island.

This temple was built during the time of King Jayavarman VII (1181 – 1218) to honor the king’s father (King Dharanindravarman II). It is fairly tiny in comparison to many other temples built during this king’s reign. It is home to the lone stupa, which is situated on a high mound and enclosed by a laterite wall.

Highlights of Ta Som Temple

Ta Som Temple, like Bayon Temple, contains large statues carved with human faces in four directions in the stupa in the eastern and western gopuras. The temple’s corridors are adorned with sculptures of apsara dancers and gods.

Like other temples such as Preah Khan, Ta Prohm,… Ta Som was also uninhabited during the conflict and surrounded by lush greenery. The greenery covering the entire temple and walls appears to make Ta Som more mysterious as if it were a wartime relic. This also explains why this sight attracts a certain number of tourists each year. They come here excited to explore this ancient temple. It was partially renovated in 1998 to serve as a tourist attraction.

Ta Som Temple is encircled by a moat and laterite walls in terms of architecture. It has a central tower and two gopuras facing opposite directions. The main one is located in the east, while the side one is located in the west. The main gopura is still standing, while the other has collapsed and is supported by wooden supports.

The gopura is rectangular in design and comprises a tiny chamber on each side with windows overlooking the balcony. On the gopura, there is a four-sided figure of the Buddha sculpted in the style of the Bayon Temple. The western entrance used to have a big Spong tree on top, but it was removed in the 1950s after it perished. An old tree is now growing almost on top of the eastern entrance, adding to the temple’s mystery and holiness. The rectangular room and two small libraries on two sides of the eastern gopura are located inside the main temple.

Excavators left Ta Som Temple in a state of advanced destruction. Despite the fact that archeologists are still clearing debris and reassembling various structures, it remains wonderfully unkempt. Ta Som Temple serves as a reminder that we can only borrow from the Earth for so long.

In fact, archaeologists, excavators, and even tourists ignore Ta Som Temple. Unsurprisingly, discovering Ta Som becomes a one-of-a-kind and intriguing experience for individuals who seek adventure.

This is one of the countless temples that can be viewed in Angkor nowadays. Both of its outer entry gopuras are excellent examples of well-preserved Avalokiteshvara towers.

Each temple in the Angkor Complex has a distinct personality, and Ta Som’s smaller scale and magnificent sculpture ensure that visitors who discover it are treated to another piece of Angkor’s history and cultural treasures. So it is not an exaggeration to claim that this temple is one of the few remaining wonders in the Angkor Complex. It deserves to be restored, preserved, and listed as a tourist attraction.

How to travel to Ta Som Temple?

This temple is located in the Angkor Temple Complex and is only about 17 kilometers from the center of Siem Reap town, and it takes about 22 minutes by car, 45 minutes by Tuk Tuk one of the popular vehicles of the locals (its prices are very reasonable), and approximately 2 hours by bicycle, making it easy and fast for you to visit this unique site by different vehicles from Siem Reap town so you should not miss this famous site on their trip to the Angkor Temple Complex, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

                                                                                    Best of itineraries with Ta Som Temple

 

                                                                                    Best Tours Throughout Cambodia 

 

                                                                                    Best of Cambodia & Southeast Asia

 

Other itineraries for Cambodia or Southeast Asia

 

Please contact us with any questions about Ta Som Temple or your trip to Cambodia & Southeast Asia

Recommended for You

Top attractions in Siem Reap “Resort Town”