Gods
The stone causeways across the broad moat surrounding Angkor Thom with their unique gopuras (gateway) are one of the great sights at Angkor. Of the five approaches to the city of Angkor Thom, the south gate is probably the most frequently photographed as it is the best restored. The causeways leading to the gopuras are flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side... gods on the left and demons on the right, making a total of 108 mythical beings guarding each of the approaches to the city.
Demons
The demons have a grimacing expression and wear a military headdress, whereas the gods look serene with their almond-shaped eyes and conical headdresses. The gods and demons hold the scaly body of a naga on their knees. At the beginning of the causeway, the naga spreads its nine heads in the shape of a fan.
Gopura
Through these gateways all visitors to the city had to pass. Each of the five sandstone gopuras rise 23 m to the sky and is crowned with four heads, one facing each cardinal direction. At the base of each gate are finely modelled elephants with three heads, their trunks are plucking lotus flowers. The Hindu god, Indra, sits at the centre of the elephant with his consorts at each side.
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