Ta Som overview
Ta Som is a temple located in Cambodia, near the town of Siem Reap. The temple was built in the late 12th century, during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Angkor Wat-style architecture.
Ta Som is a small temple, with a central tower surrounded by several smaller structures and galleries. The temple is made of sandstone, and is decorated with intricate carvings and sculptures, many of which depict scenes from Hindu mythology. The central tower is particularly noteworthy, as it features intricate reliefs that depict scenes from Hindu mythology, including the churning of the ocean of milk and the battle of Kurukshetra.
One of the most distinctive features of Ta Som is the large tree growing out of the central tower, which adds to the temple's unique beauty. The temple is surrounded by a moat and is accessible by a causeway. The temple is considered to be a well-preserved example of Angkor-style architecture, and is a popular destination for tourists visiting the Angkor region.
Ta Som is part of the larger temple complex of Angkor Wat, and is often visited in conjunction with other temples in the area. Today, Ta Som is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is considered to be an important symbol of Cambodia's rich cultural heritage and history.
After passing through the tower gate, there is an inner wall and the west gate, beyond which you can see a small shrine. As you can see, the building is not in a very good state of preservation. However, you can see that there are many devata (goddess) reliefs.
Ta Som is where you can see the unique Devater reliefs. For example, the photo below is a devater squeezing the hair. This is a different devater from the one pictured in Chikyu no Arukikata as a devater that squeezes hair, but I think this one is more attractive. But is it good that there are so many sexy statues in the monastery? Well, it's stone.
The arrangement of the devater is like this. They are lined up as decorations on the walls of buildings.
The east gate of Ta Som is covered with forest and has a nice atmosphere. I shot it aiming at the time when popularity stopped.
Another highlight of the Ta Som Ruins is here, the East Pagoda. It is overgrown by the roots of a tree named Rieppe. Originally, there should have been a face of Kanzeon Bodhisattva here as well.
Ta Som tours
Several tours visit Ta Som. Just join in an Angkor Wat tours. Full list of tours available here.