If you look at these two entrances, you'll notice that the closer one has a staircase. (It's wood because the underlying stone staircase isn't safe.) The second entrance has no stairs. This is where you would go if you had arrived by elephant!
On the first level is an inner courtyard. The central temple is raised above that, and it's accessed by crazy steep staircases. In some places people climbed the stones hand over hand, but a wooden staircase was also available, with a sturdy railing. A safer option maybe, but still pretty steep! (The pictures don't really do it justice.)
Maybe I was confusing bored with other-worldly, but as I watched this young monk giving blessings to the tourists, he seemed pretty bored.
