The Bayon Temple is located in the center of Angkor Thom. The temple is one of the most popular sites in the Angkor complex. It was built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII.

The architectural composition of the Bayon exudes grandness in every aspect. Over 200 large faces carved in the 54 towers give this temple its majestic character, which at that time represents the 54 provinces in debated by scholars and some think they represent the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, in keeping with the Buddhist character of the temple, it is generally accepted that the four faces on each o the towers are images of King Jayavarman VII and signify the omnipresence of the King.

The plan of the Bayon is presented on three separate levels. The first and second levels contain galleries featuring the bas-reliefs.

A 16-sides central sanctuary dominates the third level, which is cruciform in plan. Despite this seemingly simple plan, the layout of the Bayon is complex due to later addition, a maze of galleries, passage and steps, connected in a way that makes the levels practically indistinguishable and creates dim lighting, narrow walkways and ceiling. Besides the architecture and the smiling faces, the highlight of Bayon is undoubtedly the bas-reliefs.

The bas-reliefs on the inner gallery are mainly mythical scenes, whereas those on the outer gallery are a marked departure from anything previously seen at Angkor. They are unique and contain genre scenes of everyday life–markets, fishing, festivals with cockfights and jugglers and so on–and historical scenes with battles and processions. The bas-relies are more deeply carved than at Angkor Wat.

But the representation is less stylized. The scene are presented mostly in two or three horizontal panels. The lower one, with an unawareness of the law of perspective, shows the foreground, whereas the upper tier presents scene of the horizon. they both exhibit a wealth of creativity. Description of the bas-reliefs in this guide follow the normal route for viewing the Bayon.

They begin in the middle of the east gallery and continue clockwise. Visitors should keep the monument on their right.

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