Presat Taapaens Noem
The Monkey Temple, Spring 2008
A Naga at Presat's Taapaens Noem. |
A closeup of the Naga's face. |
A 3/4 view of the Naga. |
Two Nagas adorn the pathway. |
A closer look at the front of one of the Nagas. |
Detail of the Naga faces and carvings. |
The back of the Naga's hood. |
Some ducks on the muddy water surrounding the temple. |
A look at the muddy river. |
Carved stones along the pathway. |
Cows graze quietly by the temple. |
The main path to the temple, flanked with ruins. |
Children ride thier bikes on the path. |
More children walking together. |
Carved stones lay in ruins. |
A collapsed entrance to the temple. |
Another collapsed building. |
A partial wall and what's left of a walkway. |
A view of the temple courtyard. Presat's Taapaens Noem is also known as the "monkey temple" because it lays in ruins and you used to need to climb over it like a monkey. Now they have a wood path for tourists to follow. |
Looking down a wall. |
Some temple carvings cracked by vines. |
A closeup of the decoration. |
A doorway. |
A lone column. |
Elephant carvings. |
Doorway carving with seated figures. |
Closeup of the carving. |
More debris. |
A wall crumbles near a doorway. |
The carving closeup. |
Scroll design and figures. |
Rubble near the walkway. |
A carved post frames a doorway. |
Rubble spread throughout the courtyard. |
Looking across the temple to see ruins. |
Many columns still supporting beams but little else. |
Rows of columns that probably held a covered walkway. |
A leaning wall supported with wood. |
One side of the roof reamins on this partially covered walkway. |
Slightly different view. |
A worn carving over a doorway. |
Jungle vines embrace a wall. It's vines like these and trees that hold the temple together as well as tear it apart. |
A pretty design that came out blurry :\ |
A collapsed walkway. |