• Artistic/Style: Angkor Wat
• Location: Near the East Gate of Angkor Thom
• Duration of Visit: 15-30 minutes. Combine with visit to Chau Say Tevoda

Thommanon is one of a pair of Hindu temples and was built during the reign of Suryavarman II (1113–1150) at Siem Reap Angkor, Cambodia. The name of the temple is derived from the Pali words “Dhamma”, which means ‘Buddhist Teachings’ and “Nanda”, which means ‘supreme wisdom’. This small and elegant temple is east of the Gate of Victory of Angkor Thom and north of Chau Say Tevoda. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed by UNESCO in 1992 titled Angkor. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.

History of Thommanon temple

Professor studying the carvings of the devatas in Thommanon have conclude that it was built almost the same time when the work of Angkor Wat was begun. However, there is some disunity as to the precise date it was built. Some of them believe that the distinctive carvings of females, known as devatas, indicate that they were built during the reign of Jayavarman VI (1080–1113 AD), some time at the end of the 11th century. However, there is larger agreement, especially given the erudite studies, that it was built by Suryavarman II around the time of temples of Angkor Wat and Beng Mealea from 1113 to 1150 AD.

The Vaishnavite cult was approved in Cambodia by Suryavarman II and the shaivite cult of Linga worship was incorporated with the Vaishnavite cult in the temples such as the Thommannon, Beng Mealea, Chau Say Tevoda, Banteay Samre, and Angkor Wat.

Thommanon is directly on the side of Chau Say Tevoda and just 500 metres east of the Victory Gate of Angkor Thom city on the way to Ta Keo temple. In the 1960s, the temple underwent a full restoration, funded by the École française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO). French archaeologists restored it and added concrete ceilings.

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