Terrace of the Elephants, Ancient ceremonial terrace in Angkor Thom, Cambodia.
The Terrace of the Elephants is a roughly 350-meter-long stone platform decorated with detailed carvings of elephants, lions, and mythical birds along its eastern side facing the royal square. The structure includes several stone outworks extending toward the central plaza.
The platform was built in the late 12th century under King Jayavarman VII as a viewing stand for military parades and ceremonial processions. It represents the height of Khmer architectural achievement during his reign.
The terrace displays life-sized stone carvings of mahouts leading elephants, showing how closely royalty relied on these animals. These figures give a sense of how central elephants were to court life and power.
Access runs from sunrise to sunset and is included with the Angkor Archaeological Park ticket. Visiting in early morning hours offers better light for photography and fewer crowds.
The central axis of the platform features five stone outworks positioned symmetrically, with three in the middle and one at each end. This arrangement follows a pattern rarely seen in royal architecture of that era.
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