![]() ![]() The Terrace of Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King ![]() ![]() One of the entrances to ancient Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom Elsewhere are scenes of battles, armies, hunters, animals, boats, fishermen, athletes, acrobats, jugglers, plus much more. The outside wall features a series of mind-boggling 11,000 bas-reliefs which depict historical events and scenes from the everyday life of the Khmers. It is known for its many massive stone faces carved on its 54 towers. The Bayon Temple is a distinctively-carved edifice situated in Angkor Thom. There are five entrance gates to Angkor Thom, each displaying interesting giant faces. Situated not far from the Angkor Wat Temple, it includes the Bayon Temple and the Terraces of the Elephants and Leper King, among a number of other less popular sites. It was the last capital of the Khmer Empire. Front view of Angkor Wat TempleĪngkor Thom means,”Big Angkor” and was a royal city complete with moat and surrounding walls. There was a recital in 2002 given by the famous tenor, Jose Carreras, who sang at Angkor Wat, backed by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. The Gallery of a Thousand Buddhas used to consist of hundreds of Buddha images, but many have been removed or stolen with just a few remaining. Around the outside of the temple is an 800 metre/2600 feet long series of intricate and fascinating bas-reliefs or carvings depicting historical events and stories from mythology. It is over 62 metres/200 feet high and the central part has four towers in the shape of a lotus flower. This temple was considered to be the largest Asian structure at the time. I feel a photograph does more justice to it than words, but here is a brief description. It is situated at the end of a long walkway, approximately 475 metres/520 yards long, and is surrounded by a moat. When you arrive at the entrance gates to Angkor Wat, you will immediately be struck by the immense size and grandeur of the main temple (called Angkor Wat!). Aerial view of Angkor Wat Complex Some of the Most Popular Temples The blocks were bonded together by using a vegetable compound rather than mortar. My research tells me this involved 6000 elephants and 300,000 workers. It is said that the literally millions of enormous sandstone blocks, weighing up to 1500 kilograms/3300 pounds from which it is made, came from a mountain 50 kilometres away and was brought to the site down the Siem Reap River on rafts. Detail of sculpted stone in temple, Angkor Wat How Was Angkor Wat Built? Incidentally, if visiting Angkor Wat on a Cambodia tour, it should be remembered that this is a sacred religious site to the local people, so dress modestly. It is approximately 210 hectares/500 acres in area. The one thing that could be confusing is that the complex, although called Angkor Wat, has the same name given to the main and outstanding temple which only occupies a small part of the complex. The jungle had overgrown most of the complex, but over time, the growth had been cut away, revealing what we now see today. The Khmer civilization eventually became extinct and, although the temple complex was known to exist, it wasn’t until 1860 that a French explorer came across it and rediscovered it. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple for the god, Vishnu, and was transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century. However, Angkor Wat was also an ancient city as well as a temple complex in Cambodia, and the centre of the Khmer civilization which once ruled South East Asia from the 9th to the 13th century. It is actually the largest religious monument in the world. I am always surprised that Angkor Wat is not included in any lists of the Seven Wonders of the World (ancient or modern), for as I see it, it is just as important as Machu Picchu in Peru, Petra in Jordan, and the Great Wall in China. Angkor Wat Complex What Exactly is Angkor Wat? Angkor Wat is easily reached via a well-made road. There are a large number of hotels to suit all budgets and there are plenty of restaurants for dining. The Angkor Wat complex is 5.5 kilometres/3.5 miles due north of the town of Siem Reap. Angkor Wat literally means, “City of Temples” and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The experts say you need 2 to 3 days to cover all aspects. You just have to choose which parts of the site you want to visit on one of the many tours of varying lengths available. ![]() However, even if time is limited, you can still enjoy the magnificence of the Angkor Wat Temples complex. A short insight into Angkor Wat, a “must include” historical site to be explored on your Cambodia tour.īecause of its size and vastness, Angkor Wat, is an archaeological site that needs plenty of time to really explore. ![]()
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