Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is actually a temple complex located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It is the largest religious monument in the world and one of the seven wonders. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. It was later converted into a Buddhist temple in the 13th century.

First views are breathtaking before we even see the full view of the Angkor temple. This is one of many temples inside this whole complex.

In front of the temple created in the 12th century.

Angkor Wat is a vast complex of buildings and monuments, covering an area of over 400 acres. The temple itself is built on a rectangular plan, with a moat and an outer wall surrounding the central complex. The tallest of the towers inside is 65 meters high.

These are an inside portion of the temple. I am already on the second floor of the structure. This goes to the third. On full moon days, only religious people can enter that floor. There are different stairs to climb as these are too dangerous.

Around the temple are platforms for ceremonies and small buildings which were libraries.

On the second and third floor are pools. From the central tower that would be quite a sight when filled. They represented the different elements.

Angkor Wat is a masterpiece of Khmer architecture. Ancient volcanoes left large amounts of volcanic stone which are used as the base of the buildings. The tops are made of sandstone which allows them to be carved. The temple is decorated with intricate carvings and sculptures, depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. The temple is also known for its intricate system of canals and reservoirs, which once provided water for the temple and its inhabitants.

I did see a few monks as it is a holy day.

Most of the scenes are from Hinduism that depicts good reigning over evil.

Most of the statues of Buddha are the body but without a head. During invasions, armies would take everything of value but the statues were too heavy. Instead they took the heads off. The heads of most of the statues have not been found.

This depicts the prince and demons holding Naga.

The head of Naga rises alongside the stairs. The railings along the walkway in the courtyard are the body of the 7 headed snake.

Leaving the complex you pass by the reflection pool.

I have so many pictures but shared just the best ones. It is an impressive place to visit. Also, it was amazing to see some of the reconstruction and cleaning of the stones. From the Angkor Temple we continued along the complex to Bayon temple.

The Bayon is a richly decorated Khmer temple related to Buddhism at Angkor. It was built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the state temple of the King Jayavarman VII. It is at the centre of the king’s capital, Angkor Thom.

The Bayon is best known for its 54 towers, each of which has at the top a four-faced head. The faces are believed to represent Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. (Bodhisattva are awaiting their reincarnation as Buddha). The faces are all slightly different, and they are said to represent the different aspects of Avalokiteśvara’s personality.

You can see a few of the faces more clearly.

The Bayon temple is also decorated with intricate carvings called bas-reliefs, which depict scenes from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The bas-reliefs are some of the most famous examples of Khmer art. I haven’t seen other art, but I’ll take their opinion. They are amazing and depict scenes of daily life, good vs. evil stories, etc.

The base of the temple is lava stone with
sandstone used for the carvings.

The depiction of elephants used for daily tasks and even for fighting in wars.

We then traveled to another temple in the complex. Ta Prohm was built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and was originally called Rajavihara. It is one of the most popular temples at Angkor, partly because it was featured in the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. The guide said that Angkor Wat was largely unknown by the world until then.

Amazing. In the complex many of the walls have fallen and you can see which being to the roof and which blocks belong to the walls.

This roof has been replaced. They are the original blocks but now held together by mortar. Countries have pledged and taken over the reconstruction of the various temples in Angkor Wat.

A headless Buddha. Many of the rooms had gold buried and jewels in the walls but those have been removed and are long gone.

We were there when wedding photographs were taken. They take the pictures before the wedding and of course they have more than one dress.

Ta Prohm is known for its intricate stone carvings, which are often hidden by the roots of the trees that have grown around the temple. The temple is also home to a variety of wildlife, including monkeys, snakes, and birds.

This is the tree from the Tomb Raider movie. Angelina Jolie i am not …

These are fig trees and in particular this is a strangler fig which can grow around a tree and surround it until it dies.

Baksei Chamkrong is a small Hindu temple located in the Angkor complex. We passed by it walking up the hill where we were to watch the sunset. It is dedicated to Shiva and used to hold a golden image of him.

The temple is named after a mythical bird that is said to have protected the city of Angkor from attack. The bird is said to have spread its wings over the city, and to have sheltered the people from harm.

We waited for the sunset and literally melted wherever we rested. It had been nearly 40 C which is 100 F with high humidity. I was grateful for the rest considering I needed to rest my knee from time to time. The slow ascent made it easier to get to the top of the hill.

From the hill you can see the Angkor temple. We are still in the Angkor Wat complex from this point.

The sunset was okay as there were clouds in the horizon.

Our tour guide Sarak shared some other pictures he had taken during sunrises and sunsets.

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