From within the outer enclosing gallery, a view of the central tower and subsidiary towers, which are behind a second, inner gallery. The temple was oriented in an unusual direction, facing not east, as was traditional, but southeast, aligned roughly on the ancient royal road from Angkor.

Within the temple grounds, the usual four entry pavilions or gopura were set at the cardinal compass points along an outer gallery. Phimai’s principal gopura, providing access through the south wall of the gallery, is seen here. Tantric Buddhist dancers adorn the lintel.

One corner of the outer gallery, with minor entrances to the gallery

When entering from the south, one traversed a cruciform terrace protected by singh, or lions, and serpentlike naga, which led directly to an outer gopura—an entry pavilion set within the enclosing gallery. Seen here is a view from that gopura looking toward the inner gallery and the central prang just beyond it.

Another view from the southern gopura

The primary entrance set within the southern gopura

One corner of the large open courtyard within the outer enclosing gallery

A passageway within the enclosing gallery leading to the central tower

An opening in the inner gallery leading directly to the innermost sanctuary

The bases of pilasters throughout the temple are adorned with a variety carved figures.

A glimpse of the inner sanctuary through an opening in the interior gallery

Another view through an opening in the interior gallery takes in the central tower and a portion of the ruins of the nearby red-sandstone tower.

Looking into the inner sanctuary, with a portion of the enclosing gallery in the background

The central tower or prang in early-morning light, with its attached entry pavilion or mandapa in the foreground

Shiva Nataraja, the dancing Shiva, adorns the pediment over the main entry to the mandapa.

A view of the central prang from the east

At Phimai, several modifications to the traditional design of the Khmer temple's central tower led to a more unified appearance while at the same time lending it more of an upward-flowing profile. The resulting structure, termed a prang, attained the look of a unified whole rather than that of a superstructure sitting atop a base, typical of earlier Khmer designs. Such innovations affected the design of later Khmer sanctuaries—most notably that of Angkor Wat, built soon after Phimai.

The central prang and its eastern entry porch, looking straight through the inner sacred sanctuary

The pediment and lintel above the eastern entry depict scenes from the Ramayana.

Along a corridor inside the central prang, carved singh, lions, seem to be engaged in holding up the ceiling.

Interior carvings at Phimai include those with Tantric Buddhist themes. The bas relief on the lintel over the main entrance to the central sanctuary depicts the Buddha meditating under the protective hood of a naga. In the sacred chamber itself, a Buddha sheltered by a naga was the temple’s principal object of worship. The present image is not the original.

Within the inner sanctuary, the most sacred spot in the temple

Decorations carved at the base of a pilaster in the prang

Back outside again, with a view of the central prang and its mandapa

The pediment above the main entrance to the mandapa depicts the dancing Shiva within a frame of swirling, flamelike leaves, a traditional architectural embellishment at Khmer temples. The corresponding lintel has been lost.

Thai Buddhist monks exploring the temple

A look at some of the massive stones that went into the construction of the red-sandstone tower, Prang Hin Daeng, adjacent to the central tower in the inner courtyard

A laterite tower, Prang Brahmadat, dating from the early 13th century, held a sculpture presumed to depict Khmer king Jayavarman VII, during whose reign work on Phimai was completed.

The original sculpture found within Prang Brahmadat is now in the Phimai National Museum. It is considered a rare example of realistic portraiture among Khmer art of its time.

Lintels over the entrances to Prang Brahmadat display Tantric Buddhist themes.

Archways along one of the enclosing galleries

Under a lintel that depicts Krishna battling a lion and an elephant, a Buddhist monk emerges from the inner gallery, entering the central courtyard. As at most Khmer temples, the steps are steep and shallow, perhaps to suggest that the path to enlightenment may not be an easy one.

The pediment and lintel over the west entrance to the main sanctuary depict scenes from the Ramayana: a battle scene on the former; on the latter, Rama building a causeway over the ocean to invade the island of Lanka, where he will do battle with archenemy Ravana in order to rescue his wife, Sita. Monkey warriors help in the effort, some of them bringing rocks to throw into the ocean, while on the bottom right are fish and other ocean-dwelling creatures.

The scene on the pediment over the north entrance to the main sanctuary depicts an unidentified battle episode. The four-armed Vishnu dances on the lintel.

The pediment over the eastern entrance to the main shrine likely depicts Rama slaying Ravana. At the top, Tavatimsa Heaven is represented by Phimai’s own main sanctuary tower. The lintel scene, variously interpreted, may depict Rama killing Viradha, a minor character in the Ramayana but one who nonetheless had kidnapped Rama’s wife, Sita. Another interpretation considers this to be an episode from the Bhagavata Purana in which Krishna kills the ruthless king Kamsa.

Above the east entrance to the mandapa the pediment shows Shiva at the top, with Brahma, Indra, and Vishnu below him. The lintel scene may represent Rama’s victorious return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana in the battle of Lanka.

The eastern entrance to the mandapa

Guardian serpentlike naga keep watch over the main entry to the mandapa.

The pediment over the main entry to the mandapa depicts the dancing Shiva, with attendant figures below him.

View of the inner gallery

Meditating yogi at the base of a pilaster

Carved base of a pilaster

In the enclosing galleries, outer walls had false windows, while inner walls had true openings.

Stone balustrades in window openings were among the many architectural motifs whose origins were in India.

Meditating rishi or yogis

A corridor in one of the enclosing galleries

A wild boar at the base of another pilaster