 
Thommanon is a small temple built at the end of Suryavarman II's
reign, around the middle of the 12th century. It is nearly symmetrical
to Chau Say Tevoda, another of Suryavarman's temples that stands
nearby. Although the placement of Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda
neatly frame the east causeway to the Angkor Thom complex, this
was probably not the original intention, since in Suryavarman's
time the center of the capital was closer to Angkor Wat. Thommanon
is architecturally more advanced than its predecessors. The designers
took advantage of the natural qualities of sandstone, rather than
simply carving it in imitation of wood.
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