South Gate of the Angkor Thom, A Portal to Ancient Majesty and Myths
South Gate, Siem Reap, Cambodia
4.2
Introduction
South Gate, an iconic structure of the Angkor Thom complex, stands at 23 meters tall with four Buddha faces on top, each with a serene smile. These faces actually appear more like four Buddha heads, each with a profile and two ears. Between the forehead of the front-facing Buddha head and its hat, there is a small grass plant that is quite interesting. Three-headed elephants decorate the gate with dragon hooks (elephant trunks) that hang down with rugged and frothy patterns. There are four elephants in total, but only one side is intact, and the trunks on the other side are damaged. Many small Buddha statues are also arranged above the elephant heads with numerous patterns on the gate, but most of them are replica now. South Gate attracts many tourists, while the East and West Gates are relatively quiet. The roads to both are rough, and the West Gate’s entryway has collapsed, leaving only a few remaining walls. The East Gate was also used as an outdoor set for the Tomb Raider movie. Outside the gate, large tree roots still grow with small trees and black vines, as plants grow lushly within the Angkor Thom complex. Address South Gate, Siem Reap, Cambodia
The sculptures on both sides of the south gate of this city are very distinctive
