Baphuon, an 11th century Hindu temple constructed under Udayadityavarman II, is found northwest of Bayon. One of the grandest temples in the Angkor Thom complex (and indeed the whole region), it was modelled after the mythical Mt Meru with a three-tiered mountain design. It formed the centre of the Angkor civilisation before the construction of Angkor Thom moved the capital to Bayon.
It is believed that the Baphuon temple would have stood 50m tall however the destruction of its tower has reduced the size to a still impressive 34m. The appearance is made even more majestic by the 200m sandstone causeway that leads the visitor to the temple. Detailed carvings adorned any visible surface, with many having survived albeit in stages of deterioration.
French archaeologists started restoration works in the early 1970s however were forced to abandon the efforts during the civil war. Restoration resumed in the 1990s and the temple finally opened in 2011.
