Ta Som

Temple in Siem Reap

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Ussfa344

Ta Som is located just east of the Jayatataka Baray within Angkor Archaeological Park. While it is one of the smaller temples in the area, it is still highly recommended for visitors. Built during the 12th century under the reign of Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, it bears a resemblance to other temples of the era, such as Preah Khan, Banteay Kdei, and Ta Prohm.

Visiting Ta Som

Situated 30 minutes (17 km) northeast of Siem Reap and 15 minutes from Angkor Wat, Ta Som offers a peaceful and accessible visit. The temple is entered through the western gate, has a straightforward layout, and is easy to navigate, with a total distance of just 200 meters from the western outer gate to the eastern outer gate.

The temple has a special lost charm, reminiscent of Ta Prohm, but on a slightly smaller scale. Its gopura with smiling faces, especially the “jungle charm” of the eastern gate, makes for great photo opportunities. Be sure to notice the unusual apsaras, well-preserved Dvarapala statues, and the pediments—some of which are displayed on the ground.

Ta Som is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. It’s recommended to spend 30 minutes to an hour exploring the site. There are drink stalls near the western entrance, along with toilets. Entry is included in the Angkor Pass, and the temple is part of the Grand Circuit. While visitors today enter from the western gate, the eastern gate was originally the main entrance, so let’s begin there.

The eastern entrance is preceded by a stone terrace that crosses the outer moat and leads to a walled enclosure, approximately 200m x 200m, featuring a charming gopura with four smiling faces. The entrance is framed by the roots of a tree growing out of the structure.

This gopura showcases bas-reliefs of devata, several pediments depicting figures in prayer and Lokesvara, many framed by the fig tree’s roots. There are plenty of opportunities for great photographs here. Continuing west from the eastern gopura, you’ll find a large open area, with the eastern entrance of the next enclosure (about 20m x 20m) ahead. This enclosure has galleried walls, some of which have collapsed. Outside the north and south gopura, two large fallen pediments have been reassembled, providing a rare opportunity to view these artistic features up close.

Inside, you’ll find two library buildings and a central shrine, all ornately decorated with devata carvings, foliated scrolls, roundels, and motifs typical of the era. Additional pediments are assembled on the ground in this central enclosure. Some of the apsara bas-reliefs are particularly striking. From here, you can explore the passageways of the galleried enclosure and exit through the western side, where you’ll find another terrace and the outer western gopura, again featuring the same smiling faces as the eastern side.

History of Ta Som

While no foundation stele has been found at Ta Som, its style clearly aligns with the Bayon period, placing it in the same group as Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, and Preah Khan. It is confidently attributed to the reign of King Jayavarman VII (reign 1181–1218 AD) and dated to the late 12th to early 13th century.

Ta Som shares an east-west axis with the Jayatataka Baray, Neak Pean, and Preah Khan, and scholars suggest these sites may have been hydraulically connected.

Restoration and clearance work was carried out in the 1930s by Henri Marchal.

The Ta Som appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Siem Reap!

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