Chau Say Tevoda

Two symmetrical shrines, Thom Manon and Chau Say alike in design and structure and twins also in ruin.

Chau Say Tevoda is located in east of the Gate of Victory of Angkor Thom, across the road south from Thommanon, 500metres (1,640feet) off the road. A enter and leave Chau Say Tevoda by the north entrance. It was built in the end of the 11th century-first half of the 12th century by king Suryavarman II in Hindu with following Angkor Wat style art.

BACKGROUND

Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon are two small monuments close together (on the left and right sides of the road) and similar in plan and style. Although the precise dates of these monuments are unknown, they belong to the best period of classic art stylistically and represent two variations of a single theme of composition. Chau Say Tevoda has deteriorated more than Thommanon.

LAYOUT
Chau Say Tevoda is rectangular in plan, with a Central Sanctuary opening to east, an enclosing wall with an entry tower in the middle of the enclosing wall at the east entrance.

Walking towards the temple one can see traces of a moat and vestiges of a laterite base of an enclosing wall.

ENTRY TOWERS
The entry towers are mostly demolished except for traces of the bases and stair ways with sculpted steps. A raised causeway (3) on three rows of octagonal supports (later than the monument) and a terrace link the east entry tower to a nearby river to the east.

PEDIMENTS
At the south of the passage a scene depicts the combat of Sugriva and Vali, at the north of the passage (East Side) the reliefs include monkeys, Siva and Parvati on a bull, and apsaras.

CENTRAL SANCTUARY
A long room with a porch (4) precedes the square Central Sanctuary connecting it with the east entry tower by a passage raised on three rows of columns of which only traces remain. This long room is covered with a pattern of flowers inscribed in squares and sculpted with stone flowers such as are seen at Banteay Srei and Baphuon. The three false doors of the Central Sanctuary are decorated with foliage and columns with diamond-shaped patterns (lozenges) and flowers (on the left); human figures accentuate some of the bands of foliage in the columns.