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A
visit to the temples of Angkor is a profound experience,
as few sights on earth can match the majesty of Angkor
Wat or the mysterious faces of the Bayon. The
world-famous temples of Angkor are situated in the
northwest province of Siem Reap. There are more than
1000 temples, built between the 9th and 13th centuries,
and these remaining structures are the sacred skeleton
of what was once the social, religious and
administrative centre of the Khmer Empire.
The
constant building projects undertaken by successive
Khmer kings is on a similar scale to the construction of
the pyramids by the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt. The Khmer
rulers made use of a vast force of slave labour. Each
new temple was made possible by the 750,000 people
estimated to have lived at Angkor during the 12th and
13th centuries.
Despite
the scores of temples that remain today, there is little
evidence of the inhabitants of what was one of the
biggest cities on earth in its time. This is because the
people - from slaves to the King himself - lived in
wooden structures, all of which have long-since
vanished. Buildings of stone were reserved for the Gods.
Portuguese
travellers are believed to have been the first Europeans
to gaze in wonder at the temples of Angkor while
exploring the region during the 16th Century. However,
most of the credit for the "discovery" of
Angkor has fallen to French botanist Henri Mouhot, whose
visit to Angkor in 1860 was posthumously documented in
Paris in 1868. During the remainder of the 19th Century
and into the 20th Century, several French expeditions
visited the temples and work was carried out to clear
the jungle, which had enveloped most of the monuments.
In
1907, Thailand returned control of Angkor to Cambodia
and in the same year the first tourists arrived. In the
early days of tourism, visitors to Angkor followed one
of two circuits to see the temples, the Little (Petit)
Circuit or the Big (Grand) Circuit. Tours were often
undertaken on the back of an elephant. Today things are
different, and air-conditioned vehicles make the
experience faster and more comfortable. Hanuman
Tourism-Voyages can arrange anything from day trips
around the principal monuments to one week itineraries
that include lost temples in the jungle. See our Angkor
Tours for more details.
Angkor
Wat
There are few places on
earth to match the splendors of Angkor Wat. The temple
is the largest religious buildings ever constructed and
is truly one of the wonders of the world. Believed
to have been undertaken as a temple and mausoleum for
King Suryavarman II at the peak of the Khmer empire in
the first half of the 12th century, Angkor Wat is the
best-preserved of the Angkorian temples. As with
other Angkorian temples and walled cities such as Angkor
Thom, the central theme of Khmer architecture revolved
around the idea of the temple-mountain. By the time
building on Angkor Wat was begun early in the 12th
century, this had been elaborated to a central tower
surrounded by four smaller towers. The central monument
represents the mythical Mount Meru, the holy mountain at
the centre of the universe, which was home to the Hindu
god Vishnu.
The
five towers symbolise Mount Meru's five peaks. It is
difficult to express in words the enormous size of
Angkor Wat, but it can be hinted at in part by a look at
the scale of the complex. The temple is surrounded by a
moat which makes the one around the Tower of London,
built at roughly the same time, look like nothing more
than a garden pond. At 190m wide and forming a rectangle
1.5km by 1.3km, it is hard to imaginzs
around the walls of the outer gallery and the hundred
figures of devadas and apsaras. This intricately carved
gallery tells stories of the Hindu gods and of
Suryavarman II's successes on the battlefield. A visit
to Angkor Wat is the experience of a lifetime and will
be cherished forever.
Phnom
Bakheng
Dominating the flat
landscape, this 10th Century mountain temple is the most
popular spot in the area to watch a classic sunset over
Angkor Wat and the surrounding forest.
Angkor
Thom
This huge walled complex was the centre of the
world’s largest city in 1200. The royal city was
first built under the reign of Udayadityavarman II in
the 11th Century. It was destroyed when the Chams from
Cambodia invaded, sacking the city, and was
subsequently rebuilt by King Jayavarman VII at the end
of the 12th Century.Its vast walls, some 6m wide, 8m
high and 13km in length contain many monuments.
The
Bayon
Surrounded by faces on all sides, visitors never
forget the Bayon. This symbolic temple mountain, built
by Jayavarman VII, is situated in the centre of the
city of Angkor Thom. It is a three-tiered pyramid with
its entrance facing east. The central shrine is
surrounded by 54 towers, all crowned by gigantic,
enigmatic faces, representing Lokiteshvara, but
withthe features of Jayavarman VII. They gaze out to
the north, south, east and west. Unlike his
predecessors who had worshipped the Hindu deities of
Shiva and Vishnu, Jayavarman VII adopted Mahayana
Buddhism as the fount of royal divinity. This sets the
Bayon apart from many other Angkorian monuments.
The
Baphuon
This perfect pyramidal temple, built by
Udayadityarvarman II, was the most poorly constructed
of all the temples in Angkor. From the remaining
ruins, it is possible to see how imposing it was. This
temple mount was dedicated to Shiva, but in its
reliefs many motives from Vishnu’s life can be seen.
Complexed work continues at the Baphuon to preserve it
as a partial ruin complete with a huge reclining
Buddha, added in the 16th Century.
Terrace
of Elephant
Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper
KingAt the North of the Baphuon lies the original
royal city, of which very little remains. The
first terrace owes its name to the outstanding
depiction of elephants, and was used as a viewing
gallery at royal events, while the second terrace
takes its name from the magnificent sculpture of King
Yasovarman, popularly known as the Leper King. The
original of this statue is now in the National Museum
Ta
Prohm
This temple is perhaps the most atmospheric of all
Angkor’s treasures. The temple was a monastery built
by Jayavarman VII as a residence for his mother. Ta
Prohm has been left to the destructive power of nature
by archaeologists to demonstrate the awesome power of
nature. It has been largely consumed by the jungle and
as you climb through the dilapidated stone structures
you see many giant trees growing out of the top of the
temple itself. At every turn you expect to see Indiana
Jones or Lara Croft step out from behind a fallen
pillar. It is one of the most regularly visited
temples, with visitors often arriving during the
middle of the day to take advantage of the protective
forest canopy above the ruined temple. Ta Prohm looks
as many of the monuments did when European explorers
first laid eyes on them.
Preah
Khan
Built in the same style as Ta Prohm, Preah Khan is a
much better state of preservation. Meaning The
Sacred Sword, this temple was also built by
Jayavarman VII and is famous for its immensely long
cruciform corridors and delicate carvings.
Ta
Keo
King Suryavarman I commissioned this temple in the
10th Century, but it was never completed so has no
elaborate decoration like its contemporaries. It is a
pyramid on 5 levels and is dedicated to Shiva.
Banteay
Kdei
This temple was constructed by Jayavarman VII during
the 12th and 13th Centuries. Its system of galleries
and vestibules that were added after the
construction of the main towers makes it look like a
cloister. It was built in sandstone, which has
deteriorated quite badly. However, there remain some
very beautiful lintels and pediments.
Sras
Srang
This royal pool was the King's bathing pond, where
he washed with his many concubines each day.
Pre
Rup
This temple was built in the 10th Century by
Rajendravarman.Pre Rup means turning the body and
the Khmers believe this temple was used for
cremations.
East
Mebon
Also built in the 10th Century by Rajendravarman,
this temple was situated on a small island in the
middle of the Oriental, or Eastern, Baray.
Neak
Poan
This temple is a delicate highlight of Khmer art.
Built by Jayavarman VII, this temple is the perfect
representation of the heavens on earth. It has been
said that this monument was consecrated to Buddha
who attained Nirvana, and the ornamental lakes
surrounding it were meant as places where pilgrims
could wash and purify themselves before reaching
perfection. In the centre of these ornamental lakes
there is a small temple surrounded by two nagas.
Banteay
Samre
Thoroughly restored before the war, this delicate
temple demonstrates how Angkor may have looked in
its prime. It was built by Suryavarman II.
Phnom
Krom
Built by Yasovarman I in the 10th Century, this
temple sits atop a hill overlooking the Tonle Sap
Lake. The temple is in very poor condition, but its
ruins are worth visiting for views. This is the
place for a quiet sunset.
Barays
The East and West Barays are two enormous
reservoirs, both dug by hand. They were central to
the health and vigour of Khmer civilisation. The
East Baray is empty, while the Western one is half
full, measuring 8km in length!
Roluos
Roluos was one of the earliest Angkor capitals,
built by King Indravarman and originally called
Hariharalaya. Today there are three Hindu
sanctuaries: Preah Ko, Bakong and Lolei.
All three temples were built of brick and though
they are not as spectacular as the other temples of
Angkor, they are well preserved and worth a visit to
offer the visitor a chronological perspective on the
development of Angkor. Roluos is 11km east of Siem
Reap on National Highway 6 to Phnom Penh
Banteay
Srei
This jewel of Angkor was built by a Brahman in the
10th Century and dedicated to Shiva. The famous
pink sandstone structure bears a series of
exquisite sculptures, lintels and friezes. These,
it is said, must have been carved by women as the
detail is too fine for the hands of a man. This
gives the origin of the Khmer name, Fortress of
the Women. While it may be a small temple complex,
the beauty of Banteay Srei is found not in the
scale, but the detail. Many believe the intricate
carving is the best example of Khmer classical art
in existence.
Kbal
Spean
Better known as the River of a Thousand Lingas,
this is an area of riverbed carvings and lush
jungle. There are several carvings of Hindu
deities in the sandstone here, as well as
thousands of lingas in the riverbed itself. This
site was only ‘rediscovered’ in 1969 and is a
tranquil place with an attractive waterfall. It is
50km north of Siem Reap.
Phnom
Kulen
Phnom Kulen is considered by Khmer people to be
the most sacred mountain in Cambodia and is a
popular place of pilgrimage. It played a
significant role in the history of the Khmer
empire as it was from here in 802 AD that
Jayarvarman II proclaimed independence from
Java, giving birth to modern Cambodia. On the
plateau, there is a large reclining Buddha
carved into a sandstone boulder and beautiful
views across the jungle. Nearby is a major
waterfall and some riverbed carvings of the sort
seen at Kbal Spean. For more adventurous
visitors, there are many old temples scattered
across the mountain, but these are tough to
reach. Phnom Kulen is about 55km north-east of
Siem Reap.
Boeung
Mealea
This vast 12th Century temple was constructed by
Suryavarman II in a similar design to his more
famous creation, Angkor Wat. The temple has been
completely swallowed by the jungle and is
incredibly atmospheric. Beng Mealea is 70km
north-east of Siem Reap on reasonable dirt
roads.
Preah
Vihear
This imposing mountain-top temple guards the
border between Cambodia and Thailand. It sits
600m, above the Cambodian plains below, and many
consider its location the most dramatic of all
the Angkorian temples. Until recently, it was
only really accessible by helicopter from the
Cambodian side or from Thailand by road.
However, it was closed to visitors from the Thai
side in December 2001 and new roads are being
constructed to plug it into the rest of
Cambodia. One road is will link it to Tbeng
Meanchey to the south and a second road will
link it to Anlong Veng to the west offering a
new loop between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Koh
Ker
This served as a capital for a short period in
the 10th Century under Jayavarman IV, who seized
the throne and transferred power here. Also know
as Chok Gargyar, it has several huge temples in
a pinkish sandstone as seen at Banteay Srei,
inlcuding Prasat Thom and Prasat Krahom. It is
very tough to reach and involves an overnight
adventure from Siem Reap or a helicopter flight.
Preah
Khan
This was once the second city of the Angkorian
empire, and home to Jayavarman VII during his
younger years. It is a vast complex including a
small temple in the style of the Bayon, as well
as small but beautiful Prasat Damrei (Elephant
Temple). It is difficult to get to and involves
an overnight adventure from Siem Reap or Phnom
Penh, or a helicopter flight.
Banteay
Chhmar
This temple is being developed to receive visitors
and is a big complex meaning Narrow Fortress. It
was badly looted in 1998, but efforts are now
underway to preserve what remains. It is 160km
northwest of Siem Reap and can now be done as a
long day trip or two-day excursion.
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