Chau Say Tevoda

Temple Name: Chau Say Tevoda
Notable Features: Well-preserved Hindu and Buddhist carvings.
Getting There: From Angkor Thom, Chau Say Tevoda is located 500 meters from the Victory Gate on the way to Ta Keo. This isn’t a popular tourist destination. As a result, you might want to go with a guide that knows the area well.

A Temple Under Reconstruction

King Suryavarman II began construction on Chau Say Tevoda in the first half of the 12th century. Construction was continued by Yasovarman II, and completed by Jayavarman VIII. The temple consists of four gopuras (gateways), one for each of the cardinal directions, and two libraries.

Presently, Chau Say Tevoda is the focus of extensive restorative efforts funded by the Chinese government. The heavy machinery and scaffolding being used in the restoration project might interrupt views of the temple towers, but they provide fascinating insight into the process of restoring an ancient ruin.

For many years, Chau Say Tevoda was considered to be the sister temple of Thommanon because the two temples share a very similar blueprint. Chau Say Tevoda, however, has one more gopura and one more library than Thommanon. Many historians, though, are beginning to ignore this association because archeological evidence suggests that different kings constructed the two temples in different time periods.

Chau Say Tevoda is home to some very nicely carved Hindu and Buddhist images. Visitors will be especially awestricken by the detailed carvings in the eastern gopura. As a part of you Chau Say Tevoda experience, be sure to take the eastern pathway down to the Siem Reap River.