Another of the interesting temples in Angkor is Ta Som. It is believed to have been built at the end of the 12th century during the reign of Jayavarman VII. If you look at the attached image from space, then in its center is the Jayatataka barai with the Neak Pean temple, to the west of it is the familiar Preah Khan temple, but to the east of the barai - here our Ta Som temple was built. Immediately, we note that the Siem Reap River flows next to the temple.
More clearly, the location and configuration of the temple can be appreciated in the following images.
The dimensions of the outer laterite fence of the temple, covering the site, are not large - together with the first water ditch, 20 meters wide, it outlines an area of ~ 200 x 240 m. There are only 2 cruciform gopuras in the fence - from the west and east. Today the only road approaches the temple - from the west.
It was from the west that the next image from space was taken. And on it, if the outer moat is still quite clearly visible, then the inner one, ~ 30 m wide and directly surrounding the sanctuary, can hardly be guessed.
Promotional video:
The fencing of the courtyard is provided by galleries that outline an area of ~ 25 x 30 m. And they include 4 axial gopura towers with two-tiered vaults, crowned with a topping in the form of a lotus flower, and 4 corner turrets. The false vaults and doors are made of sandstone, and the walls of the galleries are made of laterite blocks.
The central sanctuary of Ta Som Temple consists of one prang tower. It is cruciform in plan, with 4 vestibules, the entrances of which face all cardinal directions. In the corners of the courtyard - on the east side - there are 2 small “libraries”.
The monument is very ruined. During the main work on its clearing, one of the tasks was to simply strengthen most of the buildings. Apart from removing the plants, practically no restoration work was carried out.
As always, let's note the features:
- a rectangular temple and the area occupied by it, outlined by 2 water moats, all of them have a strict orientation in the directions of the cardinal points;
- the temple itself can be considered as a 2-step ziggurat, bearing on its surfaces the standard 5 prang towers;
- on the outer tier of the structure there are stone galleries and 4 axial prangs, and on the inner tier there is a large central prang tower, installed on a cruciform dais;
- it is not possible to clearly indicate the direction of the main entrance to the temple, but for us it is enough to note that it lay on the "east-west" line.