To stand at five o'clock in the morning and watch the sun rise slowly over the five mighty towers of Angkor Wat and cast reflections in the lakes that have been cleverly placed in the gardens, is once again to stand in awe of the achievements of an ancient civilisation.
The Angkor temples date from between 802 and 1220 AD and were constructed by the Khmer kings of the time. From here they ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The structures that remain today are what remnains of a religious, administrative and social complex of vast proportions, much of which, at least the less perminent structures, has been lost to the ravages of time.
Although the main draw to this site is Angkor Wat, this building does not stand alone. There are more than 100 separate stone temples in the area. Most notable amongst these are Bayon, which is believed to be more a city than a temple, and Ta Prohm which has been left much as it was first rediscovered by European explorers: semi-consumed by the jungle.
Whilst not matching the age of the pyramids these magnificent buildings certainly match their stature and are no less deserving of a place amongst the ranks of world wonders. There is enough here to keep the enthusiast ammused for several months, but for the rest of us it is possible to buy passes for a day or for three days. A day is definitely not enough and the three day pass is highly recommended. This allows enough time to find the best locations for sunrise and sunset and to explore some of the other temple complexes.
Angkor Wat itself was built during the early years of the 12th century by Suryavaram II to honour the Hindhu god Vishnu and is a symbolic representation of Hindu cosmology. It consists of a central temple representing Mt Meru and five inter-nested rectangular walls and moats that represent chains of mountains and cosmic oceans. Entering is a huge relief, not least because it provides welcome respite from the attentions of over-zealous juvenile hawkers who prowl the outer car-parks and prey on unsuspecting tourists. Passing through the main gate of the outer wall takes you down a long stone walkway to the entrance of the temple proper. Here, if you have a head for heights, you can scale the steep stair-way of the central edifice for incredible views across the temple grounds in all directions. This also gives you the opportunity to explore the beautifully carved interior of the temple. If climbing up the steps is a major undertaking, descending is even more so and unless you have nerves of steel it is recommended to join the long queue for the opportunity to descend the one stairway that has a guide rope.
Angkor Wat is a stunning example of Hindu temple architecture. Similar in appearance to Khajuraho in India the attention to detail exhibited in the construction of the buildings, the thousands of carvings that adorn the walls, the symmetry, the choice of location and the occasional random bullet hole from the days of Khmer Rouge combine to make this an engagingly beautiful and poignant place. It exists on a scale that beggars belief and is difficult to convey, dwarfing anything that India has to offer. It is, in fact, the largest religious structure known to exist. There is no doubt that a visit here leaves you agog at the audacity of its creators.
And yet, it is Ta Prohm and the other temples that have not been completely reclaimed from the jungle that leave the most indelible impression. Here you gain a real feel for what the French naturalist Henri Mouhot must have felt when in the 1850's he stumbled upon these wonders.
Simply amazing!
The Angkor temples date from between 802 and 1220 AD and were constructed by the Khmer kings of the time. From here they ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The structures that remain today are what remnains of a religious, administrative and social complex of vast proportions, much of which, at least the less perminent structures, has been lost to the ravages of time.
Although the main draw to this site is Angkor Wat, this building does not stand alone. There are more than 100 separate stone temples in the area. Most notable amongst these are Bayon, which is believed to be more a city than a temple, and Ta Prohm which has been left much as it was first rediscovered by European explorers: semi-consumed by the jungle.
Whilst not matching the age of the pyramids these magnificent buildings certainly match their stature and are no less deserving of a place amongst the ranks of world wonders. There is enough here to keep the enthusiast ammused for several months, but for the rest of us it is possible to buy passes for a day or for three days. A day is definitely not enough and the three day pass is highly recommended. This allows enough time to find the best locations for sunrise and sunset and to explore some of the other temple complexes.
Angkor Wat itself was built during the early years of the 12th century by Suryavaram II to honour the Hindhu god Vishnu and is a symbolic representation of Hindu cosmology. It consists of a central temple representing Mt Meru and five inter-nested rectangular walls and moats that represent chains of mountains and cosmic oceans. Entering is a huge relief, not least because it provides welcome respite from the attentions of over-zealous juvenile hawkers who prowl the outer car-parks and prey on unsuspecting tourists. Passing through the main gate of the outer wall takes you down a long stone walkway to the entrance of the temple proper. Here, if you have a head for heights, you can scale the steep stair-way of the central edifice for incredible views across the temple grounds in all directions. This also gives you the opportunity to explore the beautifully carved interior of the temple. If climbing up the steps is a major undertaking, descending is even more so and unless you have nerves of steel it is recommended to join the long queue for the opportunity to descend the one stairway that has a guide rope.
Angkor Wat is a stunning example of Hindu temple architecture. Similar in appearance to Khajuraho in India the attention to detail exhibited in the construction of the buildings, the thousands of carvings that adorn the walls, the symmetry, the choice of location and the occasional random bullet hole from the days of Khmer Rouge combine to make this an engagingly beautiful and poignant place. It exists on a scale that beggars belief and is difficult to convey, dwarfing anything that India has to offer. It is, in fact, the largest religious structure known to exist. There is no doubt that a visit here leaves you agog at the audacity of its creators.
And yet, it is Ta Prohm and the other temples that have not been completely reclaimed from the jungle that leave the most indelible impression. Here you gain a real feel for what the French naturalist Henri Mouhot must have felt when in the 1850's he stumbled upon these wonders.
Simply amazing!
posted by Al at 11:06 pm
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