So, the Royal Palace was first built by King Suryavarman I and was used from the 11th to the late 16th century AD. Talk about a long-lasting crib! The area went through many changes and restorations during that time. Recently, excavations have revealed some hidden gems, like a 10th-century temple that was probably used as a residence by a minister named Yasovarman I. Can you imagine living in a temple? Talk about serious devotion to your work!
Now, most of the royal palace buildings were made using perishable materials, because they weren't meant for religious purposes. We're talking about leaves, wood, and all that jazz. The actual palace was a rectangular shape and was surrounded by a 5-meter-high laterite wall. This wall stretched 246 meters along the north-south axis and 585 meters along the east-west axis, covering an area of over 14 hectares. That's a lot of space for some royal shenanigans!
To enter the palace, there were five sandstone gopuras with steps. Two on the south, two on the north, and the largest one, facing east, was aligned with the Elephant Terrace and the Victory Gate. Talk about a grand entrance! And just to make things interesting, the ground inside the palace was 1.2 meters higher than outside, so they had to build double layers of stone on the entrances. Whoever said "the higher, the better" must've been a fan of this place!
One of the highlights here is a massive pond, covering a whopping 5625 square meters. This pond was probably built by King Jayavarman VIII and was surrounded by sandstone. There are 13 tiers of steps that go down about 5.32 meters to the laterite paving. Can you imagine climbing all those steps? It's like a workout with a view!
The walls of this palace are just fascinating. They're carved with all sorts of things. In the lower sections, you'll find depictions of marine life, and even heads of cows or horses. Then there are two rows of princes and naga princesses in the middle part, which is similar to the Terrace of the Leper King. And on top of all that, there are winged figures, male, and female guardian figures. It's like a smorgasbord of carvings!
And speaking of ponds, there's also an 800 square meter sandstone pond near the east gopura. It's believed to have been part of the first palace. There's even a smaller pond and low terrace to the west of the Large Pond, and they're both connected by a laterite wall. The walls here are adorned with fascinating bas-reliefs of a procession of people, elephants, and horses. It's like a parade on a wall!
Now, don't forget to check out the four small sanctuaries. These were constructed in the early phase, and you can tell by their floor level. They open to the west and are parallel to the southeastern part of the Royal Palace. Talk about a secret hideaway!
That's the lowdown on the Royal Palace here in Angkor Thom. Stick with me, and we'll keep exploring more amazing sites in this ancient city!
