All about the temple complex in Cambodia. Angkor Wat in Cambodia is a national treasure of the Khmers. Architectural and geographic terms

To visit the archaeological complex of Angkor, I flew to Cambodia, to Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat and other ancient temples are located. From the capital of Malaysia, where I spent three days after 4 months of independent travel in India, I got on a morning flight, and despite a sleepless night spent at the airport, I set foot on Cambodia in a great mood. Well, finally, I will see the ancient temple sights in this completely unfamiliar country to me. The weather was wonderful.

Arrival in Siem Reap

The city of Siem Reap aka Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Simrep and there are still options, depending on the translation and pronunciation - this is a small, but one of the most visited cities in Asia. The airport in Siem Reap is small and calm. You get a visa upon arrival, it is advisable to have a small photo with you, but that was in 2012, maybe that has changed since then. I changed 30 dollars so that there was something to pay for transport to the city, and for the first expenses so that it was enough. It turned out that there were no regular buses from the airport and only the cheapest one remained - a motorbike taxi, i.e. motorcycle with a driver.

Advice- It was better not to change dollars, especially at the airport, where the rate is much lower. In Cambodia, everyone is happy to accept dollars, it is even more profitable to pay in American currency.
While I was poking around in my backpack, there were no more people left. Then the worker of the transport counter asks me: "What are you going to take, by taxi?" - He issued a taxi to a nearby Chinese and probably thought that I would also want to go there.
- “No, it’s cheaper for me. I will go on a motorcycle, ”I answered, raising my head, while continuing to squat and rummage in my backpack. He was surprised, because all the motorcyclists, as well as the passengers who could hire them, had already left. Then this Chinese man invited me to go with him.

- "Do I need to split the price for two?"
“No, don't worry,” he replied with a smile. - "Oh, great, then I'll go," - I was delighted.

We got into a very decent car and drove into town. We met on the way. I could hardly understand his accent. He asked me which hotel to take me to. Haha - I already forgot that I once stayed in hotels, but now I travel on my own and cheaply, so I don't book anything, but just go and find it on the spot. She said to stay in a tourist place near an inexpensive guesthouse, no more than $ 10 per room.
The Chinese man was a little stunned, because he booked for $ 60, but I explained that I was traveling myself and had already visited India and drove it myself from north to south. He was surprised 🙂
We arrived in the city. He said that he would just check into the hotel and go to see the temples. Literally 5 minutes later, he returned to the car, the driver turned the corner and showed me the guesthouse. They said they would wait for me in the car. I bargained for a room for $ 8, took a bullet shower, changed into my yellow skirt, and ran back out.

We immediately went to watch main sights of Cambodia.

Temple complex Angkor

is located in the city of Siem Reap in Cambodia. The archaeological complex of Angkor, a UNESCO heritage site, includes several temples with ruins preserved from the times of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The complex of structures, displays the sky on earth and includes many temples, the main ones are the Angkor Wat temple, Angkor Thom, Ta-Prohm (1186), Banteay-Kiday (which is considered the earliest of the temples), Neak-Pean, Ta -Som, Sra-Srang, Pra-Khan (1191), Bayon temple, completed in 1219

A ticket to visit the complex of ancient temples cost $ 20 for one day or $ 40 for 2-3 days. A 7-day ticket costs $ 60. They take a photo so that no one else can pass this ticket and clearly follow this.

Opening hours: The visit is open from 5:00 am to 6:00 pm. Angkor Wat closes at 6:00, Banteay Srei closes at 5:00 pm, Qbalspean at 3:00 pm. Always carry your ticket with you, it is checked every time you enter. To visit Phnom Kulen, Koh Ker or Beng Melea, you need to buy a separate ticket for $ 20, $ 10 and $ 5, respectively, this is not needed there.

Angkor Map

This map shows that the Angkor Wat temple, which everyone has heard, is just part of a large complex of Angkor attractions, where each ancient temple interesting in its own way.

Looking ahead, I will say right away that having a car, you can see the main three temples in one day, so I was incredibly lucky to meet this kind Chinese. In general, there are a lot of temples and they are scattered over a huge territory, some are located 30 km from the city and even further.

Angkor Wat temple

Located about 5 km from Siem Reap city. Angkor Wat- This is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, is the most important and most visited in Cambodia. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113 - 1150). After the capital of the state was moved to in 1432, Buddhist monks took care of the temple. Abandoned in the 15th century, it was rediscovered to Europeans in 1861 by the French traveler Henri Muot, who discovered it on January 22, although a Frenchman was not the only one who visited there, but managed to convey his impressions to society.

The temple occupies about 2 square kilometers, includes a moat 190 meters wide, surrounded by stone walls, a courtyard, where, as it were, on a platform, there are three concentric structures - terraces, each with a gallery around the perimeter, through the entrances to which you can get inside the temple. The main entrance to the territory is located on the west side. The temple has five towers, all five can be seen from certain angles. And usually only three towers appear. The highest is the central one, it has a height of 213 meters from the ground. In order not to bore you with long stories and architectural details, which, in case of keen interest, can be read or on the official website in English, let's already see the photo of Angkor Wat, and how it is there. In the morning everything was in a haze.

We drove up to the place from where to go to the temple. I really liked the long, snake-like sculptures, which seemed mysterious and unusual. And the temple itself is surrounded by a 190m wide moat filled with water.

The structure and appearance of the temple was supposed to symbolize the mythical sacred mountain Meru, repeating its outlines, respectively, the towers of the temple are its top, the walls are rocks, and the moat is the ocean surrounding the center of the Universe!

First, we walked through the inner galleries, there on the walls there are many beautiful drawings engraved on stone - epics from the Ramayana and images that look like lace

Having reached the center, we saw a line to go upstairs. I had to stand, the people had already gathered, although it was still about 10 am. True, the line moved quickly - they started in batches.

For 2 people, the passage was closed in front of us after the launch of the next group. Then the employee informs me that I have a blouse that is not suitable for the temple, that I need with sleeves, at least with short ones. I looked back at the tourists standing behind, from the queue they were already offering scarves and scarves, but the employee said that all this was not good, that we needed a sweater or jacket. I started to worry a little, to put it mildly, because I will be entering soon. Here a guy of about 15 years old, also a Chinese, who was standing with his mother, followed us off, as they say, the last shirt, or rather some kind of jacket, and gave it to me. He just said he would wait at the exit. I was amazed at the tourist solidarity of a part of the queue, and even more so by the friendly gesture of another Chinese. Therefore, in the photo I am in this jacket, which does not fit into the style of my clothes, but which helped me out at the right time. There is something to remember again.
The ascent takes about 700 steps and a good view opens up from there. Even Balloons were visible in the distance.

We saw this inside, apparently a trace of the care of Buddhist monks for the temple during the periods of its oblivion.

And now there is a steep descent

It happens that at the most inopportune moment my camera is completely discharged, but fortunately, my companion helped me out and gave me a photo of his brand new Samsung Note, just released. So the rest of the photos of the Angkor temple and others I have thanks to my friend and his, then new, phone.

Bayon Temple

Another very interesting temple is Bayon, which is also part of the Angkor complex. This temple is no longer Hindu, like the previous one, but Buddhist. Built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, who made Buddhism the state religion in Cambodia. The three-level temple is surrounded by three rows of walls and has many stone images of enormous size. The temple was built without the use of cement mortar that connects the stones. I liked it very much.

The temple also served as a burial vault for emperors and noble people.

Ta Prohm Temple

Towards evening we went to the most unusual and fabulous temple Ta Prohm, which is also part of the archaeological complex of Angkor. I really liked it. In this temple, the trees and stone walls of the temple are so intertwined that it is not clear who is supporting whom. Remove the tree - the walls will collapse, remove the stones - the tree will die. Here is such a symbiosis.

I was most impressed by these giant tree roots, so I even forgot to take enough photos. They say that a film was filmed here with Angelina Jolie in the title role, it seems Lara Croft is called.

So we managed to see three temples in one day, having a car - a taxi.

Traditional national dish of Cambodia

In between visits, I was invited to a good restaurant for lunch, where they served national coconut soup Amok amok- a soup is prepared based on coconut milk, with the addition of curry, meat or seafood and some vegetables - very tasty. I was thrilled with pleasure. I think Amok soup is the most popular dish among tourists. I recommend giving it a try. I ate with seafood. There are white tablecloths and cutlery on the tables, as it should be, and of course good service. The restaurant is located near the temples.

This is what I was lucky!

This was not the end of a series of unexpected surprises, probably prepared for me by God, who sent me this Chinese. After lunch, we drove around the city - my new acquaintance decided to change plane tickets, thought that he managed to see the main sights in one day, and they took me to a jewelry store on the way so that it would not be boring ... on the way back they picked me up.

In the evening we met again to walk around the city and try the local cuisine - it turned out to be very tasty, at least after 4 months of Indian terrible and spicy food, I liked it. And they went home. He gave me two vouchers for breakfast at his hotel, which was next to my guesthouse.
So the next morning I had breakfast at the Hotel. Like a real white man. I never tired of thanking God for this gift, sitting at a table covered with a white tablecloth and drinking coffee from normal dishes. Outside the window there was a small pool, water was gurgling and birds were singing - it was some kind of Paradise after 4 months of traveling in dirty India. (you have already read my adventures in India - you understand me)

Returning after breakfast, I met my Chinese friend in the foyer. He was with his things and was about to leave. I thanked him for giving me breakfast. He asked to wait until he checked out of the hotel. I went to the other end of the foyer so as not to interfere.

- "Do you have your passport with you?" He shouted, turning around. -"Of course!" - I answered in surprise. - “Come on,” he asked and ... He rewrote the number to me, because he had paid for 2 days, and he changed the ticket and left earlier. This is a gift of fate! I could not hold back my joy and was all shining with happiness and an unexpected surprise. We said goodbye and I ran to get my things. So I spent another night and two days in this kind and wonderful city for me. Enjoying the delights of hotel life and, oh, happiness! The pool was a real salvation in the terrible heat.

Happy and contented, I went for a walk around the city. It is better to do this in the morning, otherwise the terrible heat begins.

I liked this little park with beautiful gates, sculptures and a tower inside.

I really like this sculpture of a snake with several heads, which is pulled by many seated people - also sculptures. The head of such a snake monument is beautifully decorated like a crown. Such sculptures can often be found near the temples in Siem Reap. At Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm, I took pictures of these snakes, but they turned out badly.

In general, I walked around the city all day, went to the supermarket - then everything there was produced by neighboring countries.

I bought a ticket for a night bus for $ 19 to go to the capital of Cambodia, and from there to Vietnam, about which read in the next article about.

A detailed historical excursion that will tell you about Angkor Wat - the legendary temple complex in Cambodia. Get ready, it will be interesting!

The religious building of Angkor Wat is the world's largest Hindu temple. It is considered one of the most magnificent "pearls" of Angkor - ancient capital the powerful Khmer empire. While on vacation in Cambodia, an independent traveler should definitely visit this mysterious and beautiful place.

Angkor Wat: history

More than ten centuries ago, the Khmer Empire (Cambujadesh) existed on the territory of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand. Its founder was King Jayavarman II (802-850), who united these lands through bloody wars.

The empire reaches its heyday a little later, during the reign of Suryavarman II (1113-1150). The king worshiped the Hindu god Vishnu, and Angkor Wat was erected in honor. The construction of the religious building took over 30 years. Not only local craftsmen worked on its creation. By order of the ruler, craftsmen were sought throughout Asia.

Sandstone was used as the main material, which was brought from a quarry located 40 km away. from the construction site. The stones were polished and stacked on top of each other. No mortar was applied during installation.

In those early days, rulers were considered messengers of the gods. After the death of Suryavarman II, the temple became his tomb. Since then, the history of Angkor and its main religious monument have been inextricably linked.

The construction of the temple complex undermined the country's economy. In addition, the capital was overpopulated, at that time more than 1 million people lived in it. Water was sorely lacking, and fertile lands were depleted. During the reign of Jayavarman VII (1181-1218), there were several uprisings, as a result of which Angkor was partially destroyed.

Later, the capital was repeatedly invaded by Siamese troops. After the last invasion in 1431, Angkor finally fell into decay. People left the city forever. Only monks remained in the temples. The capital of the empire was moved to Phnom Penh. The territory of Angkor was swallowed up by tropical forests, and the structures became home to thousands of animals. But the city did not disappear forever.

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In the early 17th century, Portuguese and Spanish travelers stumbled upon mysterious stone structures in the jungle. But for some reason, the Europeans did not attach importance to the unusual find and soon forgot about it. Ancient Angkor owes its second birth (late 19th century) to the French traveler Henri Muo. He described the ancient city in detail and with admiration in his manuscripts. Crowds of researchers, scientists, historians, pilgrims and traders rushed to Angkor.

Photo 45 years after opening: 1906

Unfortunately, not a trace has remained of the former splendor of the capital. The sandstone from which the buildings were built collapsed over time under the influence of wind, sun and water. Most of the wooden buildings were burned down by vandals during the war. Roots and branches of trees have sprouted through the walls of buildings in many places.

Thanks to the efforts of thousands of people, by the middle of the 20th century, many buildings of the city, including Angkor Wat, were restored. After the end of the civil war, the restoration of the temple complex was mainly carried out by Indian specialists. Since 1992, the unique creation of Khmer masters has been under the protection of UNESCO.

Photo 45 years after opening: 1906

The device and architecture of Angkor Wat

The temple is located in the very center of the ancient city. Angkor Wat has a length of 1.3 km from north to south and 1.5 km from west to east. A rectangular religious building. Consists of three levels (tiers) that increase in height towards the center. In appearance, it is somewhat reminiscent of a pyramid. The levels represent three elements: air, earth and water. The territory of the complex is surrounded by lush greenery and reliably protected from all sides by a moat with water. The width of the moat is more than 100 m. A stone bridge has been laid across it, connecting the rectangular "island" with the land. Further, the road leads to the main entrance. The central gate and the front side of the building are oriented to the west. There is also a road to the east side of Angkor Wat, but it is less visible and can be found with a guide.

The entire territory of the temple has to be bypassed on foot, transport is prohibited here.

Angkor Wat is located in such a way that when looking at it from any side, only three out of five towers are always visible. This proves the skill of the architects of the time. The towers and tiers are connected by staircases, crossing galleries and covered walkways. The resulting interior space is divided into numerous square-shaped courtyards.

The walls of galleries and corridors, columns and stairs are covered with bas-reliefs, carvings and paintings. The ceilings are decorated with lotus images and intricate designs. On the territory of the complex, there are many statues of outlandish animals, mythical heroes and real historical characters.

The first tier is the largest and consists of several galleries and passages. The walls are decorated with numerous images. There are 8 panels, the total length of which is more than 800 m. The main "plots" are the battles of the gods, the reign of the great Suryavarman II and numerous battles for the power of the empire. Several panels are dedicated to scenes from the epics "Mahabharata" and "Ramayana". The outer wall is designed as a double row of columns.

There are corner pavilions at the end of each gallery. Two pavilions are connected to the main galleries. Two more end in shallow niches in the wall. Once upon a time, these recesses were also decorated with bas-reliefs, but over time they have worn off and are barely noticeable.

The gate towers of the main entrance are connected with the towers of the second tier by means of passages. Between them are four courtyards that fill with water during the rainy season and serve as swimming pools. The inner walls of the galleries are made in the form of columns, through which the courtyards-pools are visible. On the opposite walls, between the windows with figuratively carved pillars, figures of thousands of heavenly dancers (apsaras) are carved. There are many statues in the long corridors.

At the intersection of the galleries (from north to south) there are corner columns with inscriptions in an unknown language. On both sides, on the second tier, there are libraries, each of which has four entrances.

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According to official sources, the construction of the temple began in the 12th century. It is believed that Angkor Wat was part of the once huge Khmer Empire, around which there are many disputes even today.

Angkor is the name of a city that was considered the center of the empire. Its size is amazing. Initially, it was believed that the city occupied an area of ​​200 square kilometers, but now this figure has increased tenfold. Scientists say that at the very dawn of the empire, at least 500 thousand Khmers lived here. The temple complex itself was dedicated to the god Vishnu and was considered the most prominent representative of the Hindu religion. It is the architecture of the buildings that reminds of the religion that has been preached on this territory for many centuries.

The construction was completed during the reign of King Suryavarman II. It was during this period that Ankor experienced the peak of its formation, was a metropolis and had a population of several hundred inhabitants. In total, huge areas with villages and other settlements, in which at least 80 thousand peasants lived, were attributed to the temple. A little later, Ankor Wat became not only a center for worshiping Vishnu, but also Buddha.

Already in those distant years, the temple amazed the imagination with its majesty. Huge ditches (about 200 m) filled with water were dug along its entire perimeter. The height of the main tower of the temple is a record 42 meters for that time, and the highest point is 65 meters above the ground.

All the most interesting information and an overview of Cambodia's most stunning attractions in our travel guide.

Location of the religious center

A unique building of its kind, which strikes with ingenious architecture, size and rich decoration, is located just 5 km north of the city of Siem Reap. It is interesting that almost no one remembered such a structure for several centuries in a row, starting from the 15th century. This led to the fact that the temple fell into a kind of decay. The jungle reliably hid the grandiose structure from prying eyes, and the huge roots of tropical trees caused irreparable damage to the religious complex, which for many years successfully combined the center of two religions - Hinduism and Buddhism.

It is worth paying tribute to local activists and authorities, who caught themselves in time and began to ennoble the territory of the majestic temple. And today we all have a unique opportunity to enjoy the monumental structure to the fullest, take rare pictures and mark with a red pencil one more place on the map, which is worth visiting more than once.

A program of large-scale restoration of a huge complex has been launched, the search for funds for which is being carried out by the world organization of UNESCO. The scale of the temple and the amount of work required requires serious investments in the restoration of the temple. Since 1992, the temple complex has been included in the list of cultural heritage monuments and is under protection. Despite this, the years have caused irreparable damage to the structure, which was based on brittle sandstone. Therefore, if you want to see the grandiose structure of the 12th century with your own eyes, you should not postpone the question of ordering a ticket on the back burner. Hurry up to see the temple with your own eyes and touch the ancient history with your hands!

There is a version that the famous writer Rudyard Kipling came up with the idea of ​​writing the work "The Jungle Book" just after visiting this grandiose complex of structures. Who knows, maybe a muse or inspiration will visit you to create some kind of masterpiece ...

What makes it unique?

As mentioned earlier, the temple has an impressive size and rich architecture, even some elements of which cannot be called superfluous. In addition, the uniqueness of the structure is due to the rare combination of two religions at once, which peacefully coexisted within the walls of the temple. You will not find this anywhere else.

But there is one more peculiarity. Despite its size and importance to the Khmer Empire, the temple was not open to everyone. Only a select few - representatives of the nobility and kings - could get behind its walls to perform a prayer service. Here the souls of the deceased rulers found their last refuge, and their bodies forever occupied the allotted places in the tomb. This is due to one peculiarity of the local religion of that time. The Khmers believed that gods lived in the temple, therefore, only selected representatives of the spiritual and secular nobility could communicate with them and see them. Here, every detail has its own meaning and plays a role. Three huge towers are shaped like lotus buds, and their design is complemented by special sculptures and a unique bas-relief.

The total area of ​​the temple complex, which has the shape of a rectangle, is nearly 200 hectares! And without exception, all buildings were erected in an original way - from top to bottom. Archaeologists and scientists have not seen such technology anywhere on the planet.

It is believed that the appearance and structure of the complex ultimately had to match the legendary sacred mountain of Mere. The buildings seem to repeat all of its outlines: the towers are its peak, the outer walls are rocky ledges, and the moat at the foot is the ocean that surrounds the Universe.

The Khmers spared no effort or jewelry to create a unique temple complex. Initially, Angkor Wat was the most impressive religious center of the Khmers in terms of its rich content. But as a result of the civil war, the invasion of atheists, more commonly known as the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot's soldiers in the 1970s, most of the jewelry and artifacts were looted, and the complex itself suffered irreparable damage. The temple was protected from the invasion of vandals only in 1992, when UNESCO control was established over it.

Guided tour of the ancient temple

Today, tourist excursions around the temple complex are available to almost everyone. The main requirement is to follow the simple rules of staying in the temple and to treat this cultural and architectural monument with respect.

Angkor Wat will give some of the most vivid impressions to everyone who happens to be in Cambodia. Exotic adventures, history steeped in oriental culture and amazing religion - this is just a small part of what you will get to know outside its walls.

You also need to know that the complex of buildings includes several dozen churches and individual buildings, and the entire irrigation system, which is 900 years old, is still working properly and performing its functions. Particularly noteworthy are the temple mountain, which has the name Bayon, images of the main god Buddha, carved from stone, the Elephant Terrace and the statue of the Leper King. Of course, it is impossible to describe in words the grandiose creation of human hands. Each building is made in a special style and has its own characteristics. Let's dwell on some of the sights in more detail.

Phnom Bakheng is considered one of the earliest buildings of Angkor. It is believed to have been erected in the ninth century and eventually took on the appearance of a structure with five tiers and several towers. The central area of ​​the complex is called Angkor Thom, which literally means “big city”. Along the entire perimeter, it is surrounded by a water channel and walls (100 m and 8 m, respectively). The citadel includes five gates, which are surrounded by high towers, the walls of which are decorated with images of deities.

Behind the walls of the citadel is the Bayon pyramid, which was already mentioned above. It is surrounded by 54 towers. There are also such attractions as the Baphuon Temple (more precisely, its ruins, which have survived to this day), the palace, the Baphuop and Pimeanakas sanctuaries (which is better known as the "Palace of Heaven"), the Elephant Terrace (from which the rulers watched the progress of all ceremonies). Here you can also enjoy the original features of the Victory Gate and stone bridges decorated with the faces of the gods.

If the buildings mentioned above, for the most part, have undergone partial or complete restoration, then some of the temples have retained their original appearance. For example, Ta-Prom.

How to get there and where to stay

You can get to the temple complex from Phnom Penh (240 km) or from Siem Reap (6 km). It is Siem Reap that is most popular among tourists, since the tourism business has been actively developing here recently. For the convenience of visiting Angkor Wat, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, an international airport has been built here, and a lot of modern hotels will provide convenience for visitors without any problems. Getting to the temple complex from here is quite easy. This is what caused such popularity among tourists.

If you are going on a tourist visit to Cambodia for the first time, it is better to use the services of a guide. Even today, the country is littered with mines and other life-threatening reminders of the Khmer Rouge invasion. Therefore, it is easiest to get to the temple safely and get the impressions that you came here for, the easiest way is to tourist group under the leadership of an experienced guide.

History

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire for over 600 years, from 802 to 1432. During this time, the empire saw ups and downs, constant wars with neighbors: Vietnam, Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar)... Between the wars, the rulers focused their efforts on building more and more temples. The temples that can be seen today are only a small part of a huge powerful empire. It is hard to believe, but at a time when European capitals were small settlements and, for example, in all of Paris there were no more than 40,000 people, the population of Angkor was almost a million inhabitants! The reason why only temples remained from the million-strong metropolis is simple: only “kings-gods” and priests were allowed to live in stone structures, and mere mortals built themselves dwellings of wood, which have not survived to this day.

Until 802, Cambodia was a scattered principalities. King Jayavarman II managed to unite the country into a single empire. He proclaimed himself "the king-god" and built a huge temple on top of Phnom Kulen hill, symbolizing the abode of Shiva, on the legendary Mount Meru, in the center of the universe. Thus began the architectural "race for glory", which gave us beauty that we can admire today.

King Indravarman I (877-889) built an artificial lake and a Pre-Co temple. The lake served as the beginning of the irrigation system, which allowed Angkor not to depend on the vagaries of nature for irrigating land. Son of the King, Yasovarman I (889-910) , continued the work of his father, creating his own mountain-temple Phnom-Bakeng, from which today tourists admire the sunset over Angkor Wat. After the death of Yasovarman I, the capital moved briefly to Ko-Ker, a city 80 km from Angkor. Already in 944, Angkor again became the center of power of the kings of Rajendravarman IV. (944-968) who built Pre-Rup, and Jayavarman V (968-1001) , who created the temples of Ta-Keo and Banteay-Srei.

Angkor's largest gems, the Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom temples, were built during the city's classical heyday. The first king of this period, Suryavarman II (1112-1152) , managed to significantly strengthen the empire and spread the influence of the Khmers to nearby countries. He, unlike other kings, worshiped not Shiva, but the supreme deity Vishnu, to whom he dedicated the most majestic of all Angkor temples - Angkor Wat. By that time, serious problems began in Angkor itself: the city was overpopulated, there was not enough water, the surrounding lands were depleted. The construction of the temple undermined the economy of the capital. In 1177, the inhabitants of the Cham kingdom - vassals of the Khmer empire - rebelled, captured and destroyed Angkor. Four years later, King Jayavarman VII (1181-1218) drove out the Cham. On the site of old Angkor, the walled city of Angkor Thom was built. Jayavarman VII built many temples, including Bayon, a mountain temple with faces facing in all directions. Jayavarman VII was the first king of Cambodia to worship Buddha rather than Hindu gods.

After the death of Jayavarman VII, the empire fell into decay, Buddhism was forgotten and many Buddhist statues were destroyed. The Khmer Empire was never again able to regain its former power.

In 1351 and 1431, the Thais defeated Angkor, taking gold and art objects with them. The center of power in Southeast Asia has moved to Thailand. The capital of Cambodia was moved to Phnom Penh, and Angkor was abandoned.

In the 1860s, French traveler and botanist Henri Muo stumbled upon a monastery on the territory of Angkor, then under the control of Thailand. Descriptions of the majestic temples in the jungle of Cambodia appeared before, but only after the publication of the discovery of Anri Muo did the eyes of Europeans turn to Angkor.

In 1907 Angkor was returned to Cambodia. It attracted travelers, adventurers, archaeologists, historians, and Angkor gradually became one of the main attractions of Southeast Asia. The rebuilding of the temples was a daunting task. Most of them, except for Angkor Wat, were heavily overgrown with jungle, sometimes so much that it was impossible to clean the temple without damaging it. A controversy erupted over the extent to which temples should be restored, whether late additions, such as Buddhist images in Hindu temples, should be removed, etc. In 1920, it was decided to restore the temples using the anastomosis method. The idea behind the method was that the restoration was carried out using only those materials that were used in the original construction, and also to preserve the original structure of the temples. Modern materials were allowed to be used only if the originals were lost.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, most of the temples were rebuilt. The Khmer Rouge barely damaged Angkor, but restoration work was suspended and the jungle attacked the temples with renewed vigor. After the fall of the Pol Pot regime, work continued, and in 2003 UNESCO considered it possible to remove Angkor from the list of endangered cultural heritage.

A small dictionary for a better understanding of the description of temples

Gods

• Brahma is the main of the three primary gods of the Hindu trinity, the "creator."
• Shiva is one of the three primary gods of the Hindu trinity, the "destroyer".
• Vishnu is one of the three primary gods of the Hindu trinity, the "protector".
• Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, usually depicted in blue, most often with a flute.
• Lakshmi is the wife of Vishnu, the goddess of beauty and wealth.
• Parvati is the wife of Shiva, she is Shakti or Durga, the goddess of power.

Mythical creatures

• Asura is a demon.
• Rakshasa is a demon.
• Yakshas are the inhabitants of the underworld.
• Apsara is a heavenly nymph, a dancer.
• Devata is a demigoddess.
• Nag is the naga snake.
• Garuda is half-human, half-eagle. Vishnu's mount.

Architectural and geographic terms

• Banteay is a fortress or citadel.
• Baray is an artificial reservoir.
• Boeng is a lake.
• Gopura is a gate tower in the temple enclosure of Hindu temples. Serves as the entrance to the temple complex.
• Linga (Lingam)- a phallic symbol that looks like an unfinished circle, from the center of which a stone rod protrudes vertically - the symbol of the god Shiva.
• Phnoma is a hill or mountain.
• Prasat is a tower.
• Preah is sacred.
• Wat is a temple or pagoda.

Temples of Angkor

The Temples of Angkor are perhaps the most impressive site in all of Southeast Asia. The ancient Khmer kings did not spare any means to surpass their predecessors, and each subsequent temple was larger, better and more elegant than the previous one.

The pearl of a visit to Angkor is the magnificent Angkor Wat (Angkor Wat)... The profile of its spiers has practically become a symbol of Cambodia. Angkor Wat consists of five central towers of shrines, three rectangular galleries, increasing in height towards the center, surrounded by a moat of water 190 m wide. The general profile imitates a lotus bud. From the entrance gate, on the west side, an alley with a fence decorated with seven-headed snakes leads to the Temple.

The first gallery, the outer wall above the moat, has square columns on the outer and closed walls on the inner side. The ceiling between the pillars of the outer facade is decorated with rosettes in the form of a lotus, and the inner one is decorated with figures of dancers. The bas-reliefs on the walls of the three galleries depict scenes from various mythological stories and historical events. Here you can see scenes from the battles of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the image of the army of Suryavarman II, the churning of the ocean by demons and gods, the victory of Vishnu over the demons and scenes of various mythical battles.

From the first gallery, a long alley leads to the second. You can climb the platform using a staircase decorated on both sides with figures of lions. The inner walls of the second gallery are covered with images of apsaras, heavenly maidens.

The third gallery encompasses five Towers that crown the highest terrace. Very steep staircases present the difficulty of climbing to the realm of the gods. The walls of this gallery are carved with motifs of snakes, whose bodies end in the mouths of lions.

The Temple stones, smooth as polished marble, were laid without any adhesive mortar. The building material is sandstone, which was delivered from the Kulen mountain, a quarry about 40 km to the northeast. Almost all surfaces, pillars and even roof lintels are carved in stone.

Restoration work was carried out at Angkor by the Indian Archaeological Society between 1986 and 1992. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Angkor Thom is a great city surrounded by a high eight-meter wall. Each side of the wall is 3 km long, and the outside of the wall is protected by a wide 100-meter ditch filled with water. It is believed that during the heyday of the empire, about a million people lived here. Angkor Thom was built by King Jayavarman VII (1181-1218) after he recaptured Angkor from the Cham warriors who had captured it. Angkor Thom can be reached through one of five large gates, each gate is accessed by a bridge built across a moat. It is best to enter through the most beautiful southern gate. There are 108 stone statues on the bridge, guarding the city, 54 devatas on the right (deities), left 54 ​​asura (demon)... Devatas and Asuras supported the multi-headed naga (snake)- Khmer symbol of the rainbow, the bridge between earth and heaven. In front of a row of statues - nagas, seven heads of which are ready to pour out deadly poison. Above the gate there are four stone faces looking in different directions.

Bayonne

Bayon is a temple complex in the center of Angkor Thom, built in honor of Jayavarman VII. The temple has three levels and is surrounded by three walls. The main part of the temple's decor is the image of household and Everyday life Khmer. There is also a blank wall with a height of 4.5 meters, which depicts scenes of Jayavarman VII's victory over the Cham in the Battle of Tonle Sap Lake.

In 1925, the temple was recognized as a Buddhist sanctuary, and in 1928, thanks to the efforts of F. Stern and J. Sedes, it was correctly dated.

In 1933, a statue of Buddha was found in the well of the foundation, in whose features there was an external resemblance to Jayavarman VII and which, during the Brahminist restoration (immediately after the death of Jayavarman VII) has been desecrated. It has been restored and installed on a terrace east of southern Khleang.

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Bapuon

After enjoying the wonderful atmosphere of Bayon, you can walk to the neighboring temple of Bapuon (Baphuon)... For a long time, only a construction site could be seen here. Only two years ago, this ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva was opened to the public. Several decades of restoration work in the temple has been called "putting together one of the most difficult puzzles" in the world.

In ancient times, the Bapuon Temple was one of the most beautiful structures in Angkor. However, by the early 1950s, it was on the verge of complete destruction. Led by French archaeologists, a team of restorers decided that the only way to preserve the temple was to take it apart to strengthen the foundation and then reassemble the building. In the early 60s, the project was launched and Bapuon was dismantled. During the deconstruction, the blocks of the temple were moved into the surrounding jungle, each block was numbered. In the mid-1970s, the Khmer Rouge came to power and work was suspended. As it turned out later, the Khmer Rouge destroyed the documentation for the dismantling of the temple, and there was no information in what order the 300,000 stone blocks should be stacked. The task was the most difficult - there were no two blocks that would be identical, each stone could only lie in its place. The architects had to rely only on numerous photographs and memories of Cambodian workers. The work was further complicated by the fact that at a later time, in the 10th-16th centuries, a 60-meter unfinished statue of Buddha was carved into the wall of the second level, which violated the uniform style of the temple. One way or another, today the giant puzzle has been assembled and the main work on the temple has been completed. True, there are still some finishing works, part of the temple is still covered with scaffolding, this makes it difficult to photograph it.

A steep staircase with very high steps leads to the top of the temple. If you decide to go upstairs, do it carefully.

North of Bapuon is the famous Elephant Terrace (Elephant Terrace), a thick wall 320 meters long, along which are carved images of elephants, lions and garuds - mythical half-humans-half birds. You can climb the wall and walk along the top, or look at the images below. It is better, if time permits, to do both - the images from the inside of the wall, which are visible only from above, are no less interesting. At one time, the terrace served as a platform from which the king and the invited audience could observe official ceremonies and conduct a review of troops. Also on the terrace there are traces of pavilions in which the king could receive delegations. There are 5 massive arched entrances leading to the terrace from the Royal Square: three in the central part and one at each end. The east and west terraces are decorated with bas-reliefs and statues of garuds and lions, they support the terrace in the manner of the Atlanteans. In Angkor Wat, on the bas-relief of heaven and hell, the same figures support the heavenly palaces. The north and south sides are decorated with life-size bas-reliefs of elephants with drovers. A small Buddha carved into the wall of the central section confirms that the terrace is the work of the Buddhist King Jayavarman VII. The central staircase is decorated in the same way as the gate of Angkor Thom - three elephant heads with trunks forming pillars, crowned with lotuses. The elephant terrace has an unusual relief: somewhere the figures protrude quite a bit forward, and somewhere they protrude very strongly. In some places, the trunks form columns; the remains of stairs have been preserved. This is an impressive sight, there is only one problem - a lot of tourists clicking their cameras.

A little further north is another terrace - Terrace of the Leper King (Terrace of Leper King)- a platform of seven meters height, 25 meters long. The terrace is part of the Royal Square. On the three outer sides of the terrace, in several rows, images of gods, demons, mythical nagas and inhabitants of the deep sea are carved. The best images are from the eastern (front) sides of the terrace. At the top there is a stone figure of a man surrounded on four sides by warriors, from which the terrace got its name. There are several versions of who is depicted on the statue and why this is a leper. One by one, this name was given to the terrace because of the lichen spots covering the statue. According to another, numerous chips on the face of the statue led to the thought of leprosy. (on the copy standing today, they are not, the original is kept in a museum in Phnom Penh)... There is a theory that the statue actually depicted one of the two Cambodian kings with leprosy. However, the Khmers never depicted kings without clothes. The most common versions are that the statue depicts the god of death Yama, the terrace was used for cremating members of the royal family, or that the statue symbolizes the inhabitants of the Yakshas underworld.

Legend of the leper king

A young king reigned in the newly built capital. He became famous in military campaigns and in governing the country, but his heart was cruel. He was hated by all except the four concubines, whose whims were law to him. When the women were bored with court life, they wished to go on a journey with him, and the king, without notifying anyone, left the palace. The very next day, discord broke out in the kingdom - two noble nobles began to fight for the throne and launched a civil war. During their wanderings, the king and the concubines decided to visit a hermit who predicted the future. When the disguised king appeared before him, he guessed the high rank of the guest and said: “You were a great sovereign, but from now on they will never call you king. Two large armies are fighting to take the throne from you, and only you can put an end to the strife. But at the zenith of your glory and triumph you will know the bitterness of being and a terrible fate will befall you. " These words shocked the king. After a while, he penetrated into the camp of one of the rebellious nobles, made an alliance with him and led his army. Putting the other to flight, he subsequently killed the nobleman with whom he entered into an alliance. At the head of both armies, the king returned to the capital to restore peace. It was then that the hermit's prediction came true. When the king was riding a horse through the city, an old woman in rags suddenly thrust a dagger into the horse's chest - it collapsed, and the old woman rushed to the king and pressed her flabby body against him. The king was released from this embrace, and the woman fell, wounded by a thousand blows. The old woman took revenge on the fact that a few years ago her daughter was kidnapped and imprisoned in the royal harem. She was a leper and infected the king. Leprosy developed rapidly, and everyone left him, except for the four concubines. He lost his right to the throne and had to live outside the palace, doomed to despair and starvation. In the legendary history of Cambodia, this king is identified with Prince Preah Tong, who came from India to marry the daughter of King Naga, he also allegedly founded the first capital of Cambodia - the city of Angkor Thom.

There are also several small temples and chapels inside Angkor Thom. Interesting of them Tep-Pranam (Tep Pranam)- a large open terrace in the shape of a cross with a statue of a huge Buddha sitting on a lotus in the position of "calling the earth to witness", made of stone blocks. The statue reaches a height of 6 meters and is located on a lined pedestal 1 meter high. Constructed from used stones, the statue has a rough-cut appearance, the head of the Buddha, “crowned with flames,” clearly belongs to a later period. The statue itself dates from the 16th century and was restored in 1950. Nearby is another restored statue of a standing Buddha in the rare "no fear" pose. Nearby there is a small monastery where Buddhist nuns live.

This small Buddhist sanctuary in the forest north of the Terrace of the Leper King in Angkor Thom is attractive enough to pay little attention to while visiting other monuments on the west side of King's Square. Interestingly, above one of the gates one can find the Hindu god Indra on his three-headed elephant Airavat, and above others - "the temptation of Mara with her army of demons" attacking the Buddha, who himself has not survived. This neighborhood is very unusual for Khmers - it is assumed that Buddhist images of Preah Pallilai (Preah Pallilay) managed to avoid destruction by convinced Hindus, successors of Jayavarman VII, due to its proximity to Tep-Pranam and the Saugatashram monastery, whose official status and proximity to the Royal Palace may have saved the precious images and made them inviolable.

Exit Angkor Thom through the south gate. Ahead, a few hundred meters away, stands the 67-meter Phnom-Bakeng hill. (Phnom Bakheng), with the construction of the temple on the top of which the entire development of Angkor began. Previously, at sunset, crowds of tourists came here to take pictures of Angkor Wat in the setting sun. The views remain the same, but now no more than 300 people are allowed upstairs at sunset, so if you want to enjoy the sunset from above, come early. The staircase leading to the top is closed for repairs, you can climb up the winding path from the south side of the hill. For $ 15, you can climb to the top on an elephant, but, as a rule, you need to reserve a seat in advance.

Ta-Keo construction (Ta Keo) was started in 975 by Jayavarman V (968-1001) ... This is the first sandstone temple in Angkor. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. For unknown reasons, probably due to the death of the king, it remained unfinished and unadorned - it seems that he escaped from an underground cave, pushing the surrounding jungle. It is known that the temple was originally called Hemasringagiri - "Mountain of Golden Peaks", possibly prasata (towers) the temple was planned to be covered with gold. Ta-Keo is the modern name meaning "tower of crystal".

According to tradition, the main temples were built in the center of the royal city, Jayavarman V broke the tradition by building Ta-Keo not in the center of his capital, but to the north - near East Baray. With bar (body of water) the temple is connected by a procession alley with two rows of columns. The temple itself is a 22-meter rectangular pyramid. Conceived as the embodiment of the five peaks of Mount Meru, Ta-Keo has five prasats located in the center of its main tier, and is surrounded by a now dried-up moat that symbolizes the ocean.

On the first level, on a high plinth, there is a 120x105 meter fence and a blank wall with axial gopuras (over the gate towers), the main of which faces east. Two rectangular buildings are preceded by porticoes parallel to the east wall.

The second level rises to a height of 5.6 meters - here there is a solid gallery measuring 79x73 meters with a false stepped brick vault, blind windows taken away by columns from the outside and open windows with columns from the outside. The gopuras are built into the walls with corner towers. The gallery, formed by more ancient rectangular buildings, cannot be entered, which testifies to its purely symbolic purpose. Inside the fence, two rectangular buildings line the eastern wall, and two "libraries" are on either side of the access road. To make room for these buildings, the east side of the terrace was made wider than all the others. The libraries have an interesting structure: inside they have only one room, but outside, thanks to two lowered semi-cylindrical vaults resting on the walls along the perimeter, a semblance of a nave and two side-chapels is formed. Compared to other ornate temples of Angkor, Ta-Keo looks Spartan, but this does not detract from its unique atmosphere. Steps lead to the very top of the pyramid of the temple. Each step is about 40 cm high and about 10 cm wide, so you can only put your foot sideways while holding onto the top steps. And so 22 meters - the climb is not for the faint of heart, but we strongly advise you to climb up. It is not known whether the Cambodians chose any energy nodes to build their temples, but the feeling of the stunning atmosphere and closeness to the sky here is indescribable. At some point, it becomes unclear whether it is necessary to descend from here back to earth ...

Ta-Prom

Kipling described some abandoned temple in India, but this description is just perfect for the Ta-Prohm temple. (Ta Prohm)- a huge temple-monastery, swallowed by the jungle. Of all the temples of Angkor, Ta-Prohm is the most poetic, with the most amazing atmosphere created by huge trees encircling walls, sprouting through stones and hanging over towers. Over the centuries, the roots have grown together with the walls to such an extent that it is impossible to remove the trees so that the buildings do not collapse. Ta-Prohm was built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist temple. The Ta-Prohm territory is very large, like the Angkor Wat territory, but in terms of architecture, the temple is completely different from other Angkor temples. It consists of a chain of one-story long buildings, interconnected by walkways and galleries. In fact, this temple-monastery is a series of concentric galleries with towers and many additional buildings, surrounded by powerful walls. From various sources it is known that the temple had 39 prasats, 566 stone and 288 brick structures, in which there were 260 statues of the gods.

Many passages are littered with stones and inaccessible. The uniqueness of Ta-Prohm lies in the fact that many ancient inscriptions are carved on the stones here - more than in any other Angkorian temple. On the stone stele, now in the Angkor National Museum, it is written that in the best times the temple belonged to 3,140 villages, 79,365 people worked in the temple, including 18 high priests, 2,800 clerks and 615 dancers. More than 12,000 people permanently lived inside the temple. On the site of the forest that surrounds the temple today, there was once a large, lively city, and many treasures were kept in the temple's treasures. Now all this is hard to believe, because most of the buildings have turned into ruins. Stones and trees are so intertwined, forming a common ensemble that sometimes you begin to doubt whether this complex was the basis - a stone or a tree. There are two types of trees: large - banyan tree (Ceibapentandra) features thick, pale brown roots with a knobby structure, while the smaller one is a choke fig tree (Ficus gibbosa) with a lot of thin, smooth and gray roots. Usually, the seed of the tree falls into a crevice in the masonry of the building and the roots grow down to the ground. The roots work their way between the masonry and, as they get thicker, actually become the frame of the building. When a tree dies or falls in a thunderstorm, the building collapses with it.

French Far Eastern School (Ecole Frangaise d "Extreme-Orient), which is rebuilding Angkor, decided to leave this temple in its "natural state" as an example of what most of Angkor's temples looked like when they were opened in the 19th century. And yet, Ta-Prohm had to be cleared of the jungle quite thoroughly in order to prevent further destruction and make it possible to visit the temple. For a truly jungle-conquered temple, visit Beng Mealea Temple (Beng Mealea).

One of the interesting mysteries of Ta-Prohm is the image of a stegosaurus carved on the wall, to which guides like to lead. Few people know that there is another image of a dinosaur here, it is almost impossible to find it without a guide, and only experienced guides can show it. Where the ancient Khmers could see the dinosaur and how it ended up on the wall, no one can explain. The most popular tourist spot in Ta-Prohm is the Fig Tree Root Courtyard where Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed. At this point, the main character picks a jasmine flower and falls into the ground. It would be ideal to walk around Ta-Prohm when there are no crowded tourists around. Unfortunately, this is almost impossible. The only chance is to come here immediately at dawn and be the first, or be here just before closing, when most tourists are busy contemplating the sunset.

Preah-Kahn

One of the largest projects of Jayavarman VII, Preah-Kan (Preah Khan) was much more than just a temple - it was a Buddhist university with over a thousand teachers, surrounded by a large city. As in Ta-Prom, a stele with information about the temple was found here: the inscriptions reveal the history of its foundation and purpose. The royal palace of Yasovarman II previously stood on this site, and the inscription on the stele about the "lake of blood" reminds that the temple was built on the site of a major battle with the Cham, which prevented the capture of Angkor - in that battle, the Cham king was killed. The city was named Nagara Jayasri in honor of King Jayasri, who became famous in this battle. (in Sanskrit nagara means "city"), and the modern name Preah-Kan - "Sacred Sword" - is a translation of the name Jayasri from Sanskrit.

If Ta-Prohm was dedicated to the mother of Jayavarman VII, then Preah-Kan five years later, in 1191, was dedicated to the king's father, Dharanin-dravarman. A statue of the Bodhisattva Lokeshwar was created from it. In other chapels in the city, there were 430 minor deities. The entrance alley with pillars is followed by a naga bridge, exactly the same as the one that crosses the Angkor Thom moat - the bodies of two giant naga snakes on both sides of the dam hold a row of devatas (demigods) left and asuras (demons) on right. Unfortunately, the temple's relatively remote location allowed treasure hunters to steal their heads. In general, this kind of giant figures resembles the famous scene on the Angkor Wat bas-relief "Whipping the Milky Ocean". As in Angkor Thom, the nagas take us across the moat - it is likely that here they also symbolize the bridge between the world of people and the gods.

The eastern tower of the outer fence has three entrances, the main entrance is the largest, a cart could pass through it. On the walls are magnificent stone sculptures of giant garudas, which hold in their hands the naga serpent, their traditional enemy, by the tail. These 5-meter figures are located at 50-meter intervals around the entire perimeter of the fourth encirclement - there are 72 of them in total, the largest garudas are located in the corners. Gopura of the third fence is the largest in Angkor. In front of it is a large cruciform terrace with balustrades of nagas and lions. On the right, the so-called House of Fire is one of 121 chapels built by Jayavarman VII along the main roads of the empire. All chapels are built in the same way, oriented from west to east, with towers on the western exits and with windows only on the southern sides. From their names on the engravings, it can be understood that they were related to the arks with the sacred flame and, possibly, served as staging points in the ritual journey. Gopura of the third enclosure is the richest decorated. Its three widely spaced towers and small pavilions at both ends are connected by galleries with columns on the outer sides. The length of the gopura is 100 meters, there are five entrances in total, as well as a gallery on the left side. The entrance was guarded by two demon guards, today only one of them remains - only the surviving pedestal reminds of the second. Between the central and south towers, there are two gigantic beautiful trees, their trunks located at an angle to each other. The trees are very old - there is a great danger that they will fall and seriously damage the masonry.

Just behind the gopura, just like in Ta-Prohm, there is a large building - the Dancers' Hall (now it has no roof)... The building consists of four small courtyards, each surrounded by 24 columns, and together they form a gallery. The building got its name from the bas-reliefs of apsaras captured in the dance. Note the empty niches above the dancers' bas-reliefs. Carved statues of Buddhas once stood here, they were destroyed during the reign of Jayavarman VIII, the restorer of Hinduism, along with thousands of others throughout Angkor. Inside the galleries of the second railing, allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness and admire the graceful carved garudas. In the vestibule to the west of the sanctuary there is a lingam - the symbol of Shiva, installed here, probably in the second half of the 13th century.

Immediately behind the gopura of the second fence is a small Vishnu temple with a long pedestal at the eastern entrance, on the pedestal there are holes for three statues and a spout for carrying out a water consecration ritual, like on a linga. The inscription on the doorframe states that the missing statues depicted Rama, Lakshman and Sita, and the side surface of the same doorway is decorated with carvings. The western pediment depicts a scene in which Krishna lifts Mount Govardhana. Further, three small rectangular temples surround the Buddha temple: the northern one is dedicated to Shiva, the southern one is dedicated to the deceased kings and queens, and the western one is Vishnu.

The central sanctuary is, as usual, shifted to the west. The inner walls here are dotted with small holes, which served for attaching the bronze cladding sheets. The temple's engraved inscriptions claim that over 1,500 tons were used. In the center is a small stupa, added around the 16th century. In the morning, from a certain angle, you can achieve the illusion that the top of the stupa is dazzlingly glowing. Originally there was a statue made from the father of Jayavarman VII - Jayavarmeshwara, it was probably destroyed by Jayavarman VIII during the restoration of Hinduism in Angkor. As in Ta-Prohm, huge trees grow here right on the walls, it is impossible to remove them without damaging the masonry. Nevertheless, Preah-Kan is considerably more cleared of the jungle than Ta-Prohm.

2.5 km to the east, a narrow path leads to the Temple of Neac Pean (Neak Pean), translated as "Coiled Serpents". It was built by the same Jayavarman VII in the XII century. This unusual, small by Angkorian standards architectural monument with a cruciform arrangement of water bodies and a tower of a sanctuary on a round island in the middle is very symbolic. The base of this building, laid out in the form of lotus petals, makes it look like a huge flower that has floated to the surface, although this can only be seen for a short time - during the rainy season, when the pools are filled with water. At this time, the temple is reflected in the water and is unlike any other. Neak Pean is undoubtedly one of the gems of Khmer art.

Four identical chapels are located inside the steps of the central pond. They served to cleanse the pilgrims who, as can be judged from the bas-reliefs on the pediments, came here in the hope of being cured of diseases or getting rid of misfortunes. The bas-reliefs on the walls of the chapels depict scenes where the deity, the savior of Avalokiteshvara, stands in the center: on one side of him, a weak patient crawls with difficulty on the ground, and on the other, the same person straightens up and regains the ability to walk. A number of lingas can be found in the south (symbols of Shiva), no doubt part of the "thousand lingas" described in the Preah-Kan inscriptions.

In the east, the sculptural group, unfortunately badly damaged, is a horse carrying small men hanging on it. This image is associated with a legend taken from the Sanskrit text: the merchant Simhala, together with his comrades, went in search of precious stones... A terrible storm sank his ship off the coast of Tamradwip (island of Ceylon), and the merchants fell prey to terrible cannibals who threatened to eat them. And then the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara turned into a horse, found himself on the island, and then took off and carried the merchants to the Buddha, saving them from death.

Eastern Mebon

Huge East Baray (reservoir) that surrounds Eastern Mebon (Eastern Mebon), now dried up. The reservoir was built by King Yasovarman I almost half a century earlier than the temple for the regular supply of water to the new city of Yasodharapura and was 7.5 km long and 1830 meters wide. In every corner of the baraya there were steles engraved with verses in Sanskrit, they proclaim the protection of the Ganges, the goddess of the sacred river Ganges in India. The barrai was filled with water from the nearby Roluos River. An interesting rather unconventional method of construction - the reservoir was not dug into the ground, instead the walls were poured - this is how a huge "pool" turned out.

King Rajendravarman decided to build a temple on the island. Eastern Mebon is not really a "mountain temple", despite its similarities. The visibility of the height is due to the fact that the water has left the reservoir that previously surrounded it, exposing a powerful five-meter base. The temple ends with a rather modest platform with five towers. In pairs, around the surroundings, there are eight small brick towers with interesting lintels with leaf ornaments and octagonal stone columns. Built by the king's architect Kavindrarimathan (only Khmers left us the names of their architects), the main deity of the temple - Rajendreshvara was consecrated on Friday, January 28, 953 at about 11 o'clock in the morning, as evidenced by the corresponding inscription. Since the temple was on an island, there was no need for fences, ditches and dams, instead of them, four marinas were built on the foundations on the cardinal points. The outer encirclement, 108x104 meters, is walled with a cutout in the middle of each side to provide sufficient space between the marinas and the four gopuras. A railing is surrounded by a series of long galleries. The next level of the internal enclosure is a 2.4 meter laterite terrace. Its low walls also have cutouts, making room for the north, east and south gopur. In the open space between the inner enclosure wall and the central platform, there are eight small brick towers and five laterite buildings, three facing west and two facing east, in pairs, to the cardinal points. The central platform, 3 meters high, is clad with sandstone and bears the east-facing brick towers of the sanctuaries. The central tower, as usual, is larger than the others and stands on a two-meter platform.

Behind the eastern gopura of laterite and stone, on both sides, are the remains of a series of long galleries, best preserved on the south side. All galleries were built of laterite with windows protected by a balustrade and tiled roofs. On the next terrace at the corners are two elephants, looking outward - they are made of monolithic stone. Eight almost identical elephants stand immediately behind the walls, at the corners of both fences. To get to them, you need to climb the stairs leading to the gopura of the inner environment, turn left along the cornice to the door and walk along the elephant in the southeast corner.

The buildings on the east side have all the hallmarks of "libraries" - this is evidenced by their position in the corners, orientation to the west and size. It looks like they originally had brick vaults. The western doorframes of the building in the northeastern corner are decorated with two elephants sprinkling water from their trunks on Lakshmi. The lintel of the eastern door of the western gopura depicts Narasimha, the avatar of Vishnu in the form of a lion tearing apart the king of the asuras. Of particular interest in the towers are the lintels and false doors to the north, west and south. On the central tower, the eastern lintel depicts Indra on the three-headed elephant Airavate, and on the western one Varuna, the guardian of the West, along with figures holding lotuses. The southern lintel depicts the god of death, Pit on a buffalo. On the southeastern tower, in which the statue of Brahma stands, on the northern lintel, a monster devours an elephant. Ganesha is depicted on the eastern edge of the northwest tower. Not far from the Eastern Mebon is a similar temple of Pre-Rup. The structure itself is not so interesting, but wonderful views open from its top, this is a great place to watch the sunset.

Rulos group of temples

The Rulos complex is located southeast of the main Angkor complex. Several centuries before Angkor, King Jayavarman II (802-850) founded on this place the first capital of the Khmer empire, Hariharalaya.

The construction of Indratataka ("Reservoir of Indra") in Hariharalaya, around the Lolei temple, where the waters of the Rulos River flowed, it made it possible to constantly provide water to rice fields and various temple complexes adjacent to settlements where, according to rough estimates, at least 15,000 people lived. The waters of Indratataka were channeled into canals around the Preah-Ko, Bakong, Preah-Monti temples, near the last temple was probably built the palace of the successor of Jayavarman II, Indravarman I. Rulos monuments are one of the earliest large permanent temples built by the Khmers, and mark the beginning of the era of classical Khmer art. Before the construction of Rulos, even for the construction of religious buildings, only light ones were used. (and short-lived) Construction Materials.

Build the Hindu Islamic Temple of Bakong (Bakong) King Jayavarman III began, but he did not manage to finish it during his lifetime. The temple was completed and consecrated by his successor Indravarman I in 881. Five tiers of the temple pyramid and other elements symbolize the sacred Mount Meru, and the temple itself was dedicated to the god Shiva. The stele installed at the base of the temple describes the dedication in 881 of his linga, Sri Indreshrava. Despite the fact that the Ak-Em temple is on south bank West Baray was built earlier, Bakong is considered the first true "temple-mountain" - in part because it is the first such structure of sandstone, but also because it is larger and more complex structurally. Bakong is the largest and most interesting temple in the Rulos group. Its dimensions are quite significant: 900x700 meters, there are two ditches and three concentric fences inside. The outer moat, on average 3 meters deep, is the border of the outer, third fence without a gopura, but with the remains of two sidewalks leading one to the east and the other to the north. Between the outer and inner moats there are 22 evenly spaced brick towers, not all of them finished. The second fence, from which only laterite ruins have survived to this day, formed the border of the site about 25 meters wide - the servants lived here. Currently, in the northeastern corner of this site there is Buddhist monastery... The entire complex is surrounded by a 59 meter wide moat forming a 315x345 meter rectangle. From east to west, the moat is crossed by two dams - the continuation of two of the four axial roads of Hariharalaya. Roads run between rows of giant stone naga, the precursors of the magnificent balustrades of the classical era.

At the corners of the inner fence remained eight small square brick buildings, one in the northwest and southwest corners with entrances to the east and two each in the northeast and southeast corners with the entrance to the west. The vents in them have led some researchers to believe that cremations were carried out in these prasatas. The other two are later, long "libraries" made of stone, oriented from east to west. Immediately after the eastern entrance, there are the remains of two other long "libraries" of laterite, oriented from north to south, and traces of another, oriented from east to west in the southeast corner.

The pyramid itself, almost square in plan, has a clear profile. Each of the five tiers represents the kingdoms of mythical creatures, from bottom to top: nagas, garuds, rakshasas (demons), yaksha (tree deities) and finally devat (demigods)... The pyramid is 67x65 meters at the bottom and 20x18 meters at the top, decreasing at each step. Four gopuras lead to four staircases, at each landing the next march is preceded by an elegant semicircular threshold, on either side are statues of lions. To correct visual perception, the height and width of the stairs imperceptibly decrease as they rise - the masters applied the law of proportional reduction, which until then was used only when erecting prasat roofs. Each terrace of the pyramid is slightly recessed to the west, again for perspective correction.

The elephant statues at the corners of the first three steps of the pyramid are reminiscent of the legendary animals that support the earth. They are designed to convey their strength and stability to the building. In addition, the elephant was the mount of the god Indra, as well as of the earthly rulers. The fourth terrace houses 12 sandstone towers, each likely containing a linga. Remains of bas-reliefs are still visible on the wall of the fifth and last terrace.

The pyramid is crowned by a tower of a much later period. (XII century), similar in style to the Angkor Wat towers, with three false doors and one real one. The goddesses, carved into niches on both sides of the doors, are badly damaged, since this tower was almost completely destroyed and restored only in 1941, but in some places it is still well preserved. The entrance to the sanctuary is guarded by lions in the traditional Khmer style. The tower is crowned with a dome in the shape of a lotus.

Bakong exactly corresponds to the Hindu cosmic symbolism: the temple depicts Mount Meru, the first moat is the cosmic sea from which this mountain arose, and dry land is the land inhabited by people, which, in turn, is surrounded by mountain ranges (city walls) and another sea (second moat).

This elegant little brick temple with six towers, adorned with stucco moldings of lime mortar, was the first sanctuary built by Indravarman I in the 9th century capital of Angkor, Hariharalaya. Its surrounding moat is so large in relation to the temple that there is a version according to which it was part of royal palace, traces of which have not yet been found.

On an excellently preserved stele at the base of the temple, after the traditional praise of Shiva, a short genealogy of Indravarman I is given, followed by a eulogy to the "prince's right hand" in Sanskrit, which says how "long, strong and terrible in battle, his sparkling sword falls on his enemies, defeating kings in all directions. Invincible, he calmed down only when his two enemies showed their backs and, valuing their lives, left themselves to his protection. " The inscription is accompanied by a reference to the cult of Devaraja, or "king-god" on the Mahendra mountain (Phnom Kulen) and ends with a mention of the installation in 879 of three statues of Shiva and Devi. The other side, written in Khmer, dates from the later year 893 and describes offerings to the deities Parameshvara and Prithivindreshvara. The temple begins in the west with a laterite sidewalk that divides the surrounding moat. Once upon a time, two parallel galleries passed on both sides, but only the foundation has survived to this day. A small terrace leads to the gopura of the second encirclement.

The sandstone plinth forms a common platform for the six towers. On the east side, it is cut by three staircases, the side walls of which are richly decorated with guards. (dvarapalami) and dancers (apsaramis) and are guarded by seated lions. Nandin lies in front of each staircase. There is one central staircase on the west side. The brick towers of the sanctuaries are arranged in two rows and vary in size. In the east, first row, the middle tower is higher than the others and is shifted slightly backward. As usual, all six towers of the sanctuary are open to the east. Each tower has four tiers. The towers are covered with lime plaster with sculptural bas-reliefs - it's amazing how, after 11 centuries of existence, they have survived to this day. Note the sandstone false doors with superb octagonal columns on the east side - they are undoubtedly some of the finest examples of Khmer art.

Three prasatas (towers) in the background they are similar to the towers of the first row, but somewhat lower and are intended for female deities. They are entirely made of bricks, with the exception of the sandstone door frames. In niches in the recesses of the walls of the prasat of the male ancestors there are statues of young armed Dvarapals (guards) and statues of devatas (semi-deities) guarding the prasatas of female ancestors.

The sanctuary was intended for male deities. Corner piers are richly decorated, guards stand in blind arches (dvarapala)... Here, unlike those in Bakong, they are unique in style - made of sandstone and inserted into brickwork. The northern prasat contains the linga of Rudreshvara, the emblem of Rudravarman, the maternal grandfather of Indravarman I, and the southern prasat contains the linga Prithivindreshvara, the emblem of the father of Indravarman I. Their wives Narendradevi, Dharanindradevi and Prithvindradevi were worshiped in their deified form. (devi means "goddess")... As in Bakong, only a few sculptures have survived in Preah Co. Of these, only Shiva in the southeast corner tower and the headless goddess in the rear central tower were left in the temple. Both of these statues date from the period of the temple's creation.

Lolei

Another small temple in the Rulos group, Lolei (Lolei), was built by Indravarman I's successor, Yasovarman I (889-910) on a small island in the Indratataka reservoir - today there are rice fields in this place. All that remains of the temple are the four towers that follow the design of the Preah Co towers. On the doorways, Sanskrit inscriptions state that the king dedicated the temple to his parents and royal maternal ancestors.

The buildings of the temple are divided along a central axis oriented from east to west. The buildings to the south of the axis were dedicated to Shiva, and to the north of the axis to Vishnu. Later, in the XII century, Banteay Srei was "rededicated" to Shiva, as reported by the found tablet made by one of the priests.

Unlike the main temples in Angkor, Banteay Srei was not royal. It was built by one of the advisers of King Rajendravarman II - Yajnavaraha on the land given to him by the king on the banks of the Siem Reap River. As it always happened, a settlement of ordinary people surrounded this temple, and thus a small city called Iswarapura was formed. Discovered by the French only in 1914, Banteay Srei gained fame when, in 1923, the writer André Malraux, who later became Minister of Culture under the de Gaulle government, stole four apsaras from it. He was immediately caught and the stolen parts were returned to the temple. It was this temple that was first rebuilt in 1931-1936 using the anastilosis method. The method, developed by Dutch restorers in Java, involves restoring destroyed objects using only original materials. Thanks to the success of this method at Banteay Srei, the French archaeological service in charge of the restoration of Angkor began to use it everywhere in the restoration of other treasures of the ancient city. On the one hand, the task at Banteay Srei was facilitated by the small size of the buildings, small blocks of stone carved from durable sandstone that retained its clear carvings with an abundance of decoration. On the other hand, the restoration process was complicated by the remoteness of the temple, minimal funds and the inexperience of the workers who studied in the process.

To eliminate the threat of damage to the temple due to flooding, a drainage system was made according to the joint Cambodian-Swiss project in 2000-2003. Measures were also taken to prevent trees from damaging the walls of the temple. Unfortunately, the temple was constantly and is still subject to theft and vandalism. By the end of the 20th century, the authorities replaced the original statues with exact copies, but this did not stop thieves - they steal copies of steel. The statue of Shiva, placed in the National Museum in Phnom Penh for safekeeping, was tried to be stolen directly from the museum itself.

After the opening in 1936 of the stele of the foundation of the temple in the eastern gopur, it became clear that Banteay Srei was designed entirely at once, this is also confirmed by the homogeneity of the style. Engraved in 968, in the first year of the reign of Jayavarman V, the inscription gives the date of the beginning of the construction of the temple: April-May 967, together with the position of the Sun, Moon and planets. This was the last year of the reign of Rajendravarman II. After the traditional prayer to Shiva, the text of the stele contains a eulogy to the ruler Jayavarman V and his guru Yajnavarah, who founded Banteay Srei together with his younger brother, having installed Shiva's linga in the central sanctuary. Other inscriptions engraved on the doorposts of the doorways mention the placement of another linga in the southern sanctuary and a statue of Vishnu in the northern one. The temple is greeted from the east by a cruciform laterite gopura with sandstone columns and beautiful decorations.

The pediment on this gopura depicts Indra on a three-headed elephant and, in addition to the beautiful pink hue of the stone, gives the temple a rich decoration. Banteay Srei is surrounded by three walls measuring respectively 95x110 meters, 38x42 meters and 24x24 meters. From the gate to the third fence, there is a wide sidewalk, decorated with posts on both sides - in the old days they were destroyed every year by wild elephants. On the left side of the sidewalk on the pediment of the "library" is a plot known as "Umamaheswara", in which Shiva holds a trident and, with his wife Uma, rides the bull Nandina. On the right side there is a "library" with an excellent pediment, where Vishnu, appearing in the form of the lion Narasimha, tears apart the asura king Hiranyahashipu at the moment when he was about to kill his son, a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

On the pediment east tower the second fence, under a garuda holding a branch with leaves, two elephants pour water from pots on Lakshmi, the goddess of beauty and fertility, the wife of the god Vishnu. Inside the third, very last, central fence, on the "library" to the right of the entrance, the famous bas-relief of the pediment depicts an equally famous story from the Ramayana, how Ravana, depicted by a multi-armed and many-headed Rakshasa, tries to shake Mount Kailash, where Shiva lives. The mountain itself is depicted as a multi-tiered pyramid against a stylized forest background. At the top sits Shiva with his wife Uma, who sat down beside him in a delightful pose. Shiva presses down the mountain with his right foot to stop shaking. The second row depicts clearly anxious priests and worshipers pointing a finger at Ravana. On the right is a praying female figure. In the third row, worshipers with the heads of elephants, lions, birds and horses. Monkeys are wearing exquisite headdresses on both sides. The lower tier is occupied by animals that flee in terror from Ravana.

On the pediment of the "library" on the left is another famous bas-relief, this time a plot from another epic, Mahabharata. Krishna and Arjuna, who were resting on the banks of the Yamuna River near the Khandava forest, were approached by a brahmana who turned to the god Agni (God of fire)... Further, the options differ: either Agni said that he wants to burn the Khandava forest in order to eat its vegetation and animals, or he wants to destroy the snake Takshaka, or Krishna and Arjuna wanted this forest to be burned to found the city of Indraprastha. One way or another, Indra on the three-headed elephant Airavata prevents the fire, releasing torrents of rain to protect his friend, the snake Takshaka, who lives in the forest. Krishna and Arjuna, in turn, oppose Indra, blocking the downpour with a hail of magical arrows, and blocking the exit from the forest for its inhabitants on both sides.

On the western side of the same "library" - Krishna kills King Kamsa. This scene is taken from the holy book of Srimad Bhaga-vatam and takes place in the palace - its image gives us an idea of ​​what beautiful wooden palaces were in Angkor. The two large figures are presented in perspective, which is rarely seen in the bas-reliefs of Angkor. Krsna is holding Kamsa by the hair and is about to kill him. At the corners in chariots drawn by horses, apparently, Krishna and Arjuna, armed with bow and arrows, arrived at the palace. The rest of the rooms show worried women watching what is happening.

The western pediment depicts a scene from the Ramayana: the battle between Valin and Sugriva. Valin, son of Indra, took away from Sugriva, son of Surya (sun god), the kingdom of the monkeys. Rama promised to help Sugriva regain the kingdom in exchange for the help of the army of monkeys led by Hanuman against the army of Ravana in order to free his wife - Sita. During the fight, Sugriva won, but Valin resorted to cunning - he pretended to be dead and was ready to deal a fatal blow to Sugriva, and then Rama (on the right with a bow) pierced him with his arrow. Behind Rama is his brother Lakshman. The magnificently expressive bas-relief of the dying Sugriva in the arms of his wife Rati is depicted in Angkor Wat. Inside, closer to the southern wall, in a doorway with three geese, stands the most beautiful apsara, one might say, a symbol of the beauty of Banteay Srei and partly of the whole of Angkor.

Beng Melea

Beng Melea (Beng Melea) interesting primarily because it was not cleared, like almost all the temples of Angkor, but left in the state in which it was found. The jungle has completely taken over the temple. Here you can climb roofs, ride vines and feel like a jungle dweller (which one, choose yourself)... Beng-Melea was built during the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113-1150) ... Created in the same style, but slightly earlier than Angkor Wat, Beng Melea may have served as its prototype. Despite the fact that there are many carved vaults and doorways, there are no bas-reliefs in the complex, and the carvings themselves are quite rare. When the temple was active, the walls may have been covered with frescoes. In those days, Beng Melea stood at the crossroads of several important roads to Angkor, Ko Ker and North Vietnam. The temple covers an area of ​​one square kilometer, it is all covered with jungle and there are very few visits - this creates the feeling of a “lost world”. The trees here grow straight from the ruined towers and galleries, and are probably the most impressive types of "temple trees". Around the Beng-Melea temple, a large moat was dug, overgrown with lotuses, like burdocks ...

Ko-Ker

Temple complex Ko-Ker (Koh Ker)- the most remote temple from Angkor in this region. From Siem Reap, it is located at a distance of about 100 km on the same road as Beng Melea. The temple represents the remains of one of the capitals of the Khmer Empire of the Angkorian period. In 928, King Jayavarman IV, who usurped the throne, founded 100 km from Angkor new capital Ko-Ker. The king was rich and powerful, he erected the impressive royal city of Ko-Ker, brahminical monuments, temples and towers, built a huge bar (reservoir-reservoir) Rahal. Jayavarman IV ruled Ko-Ker until his death in 941. His son Harshavarman II remained here for three more years before returning the capital to Angkor. The Ko-Ker complex has not been restored. There are no crowds of tourists here, and therefore one can try to imagine what such structures were like before clearing them from the jungle that swallows them.

The main ruins of the complex are Prasat Thom, an impressive 7-tiered pyramid and temple complex, towers and small temples near the road, and numerous lingams. An interesting part of Ko-Ker is the Shiva shrine. Here stands a giant, human-sized, lingam - the largest in Cambodia. By the way, the lingam can be used as a compass: the open channel of the lingam always points to the north.

The main building of the complex is the large seven-tiered pyramid Prasat-Tom. There are many legends around it. The Khmers believe that the shaft in the center of the pyramid is the link between the earth and the underworld. Guilty subjects were thrown into it by order of the king. It is said that a Khmer peasant who fell into the mine in 1996 somehow got out of it with a ten kilogram gold bar. After this incident, the peasant was mentally damaged and could not explain where he got the gold from, nor how he got out. Later, in 2004, two archaeologists again tried to penetrate this mine, and, according to legend, one of them was taken out a few hours later dead with completely gray hair, and the other disappeared altogether. Also, according to the testimony of local residents, marked coconuts thrown into this well emerge the next day in the Andompray river basin, 3 km away. And no one can hear the sound of such a nut falling - no matter how much you listen. The entrance to the pyramid is prohibited, the dilapidated staircase leading to it is closed. However, if you really want to tempt fate, give the guard $ 5, and he will look the other way. However, without special equipment, it will still not work to go down into the mine.

Be extremely careful while walking around the Ko-Ker sanctuary, exploring the ruins and untrodden paths. A proven path leads past all the main objects, it is better not to go deep into the thickets - although no one was blown up by a mine for a very long time, it is believed that the complex has not been completely cleared of mines after the Pol Pot terror. The entrance ticket to Ko Ker costs $ 10.

Outskirts of Angkor

Phnom Kulen

Phnom Kulen (Pnom Kulen)- small mountain range 50 km north of Siem Reap and 25 km from Banteay Srei. Its highest point - 487 m Kulen and back will cost $ 30-40.

During the construction period of Angkor, stones were mined here in quarries for the construction of temples and floated on rafts along the river. Phnom Kulen is considered a holy mountain in Cambodia, the top of the mountain is a sacred site for both Hindus and Buddhists who come here as pilgrims. It is also significant for Cambodians as the birthplace of the ancient Khmer empire, it was on Phnom Kulen that King Jayavarman II declared independence in 804. There is some disagreement over who the independence was proclaimed from. Most believe that Cambodia was a vassal of Java, according to other scholars - Cambodia at that time was under the rule of Laos. Jayavarman II did not confine himself to the proclamation of freedom, at the same time introducing a new cult of the "king-god", also called the linga cult, which existed for many centuries after his death.

An interesting attraction of Phnom Kulen is the stream of a thousand Lingams, here more than a thousand small religious images are carved into the stone. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the images are under water, 5 cm below the surface. This is not an accident, but the original idea of ​​the artist: by order of the king, the riverbed was diverted to the side so that the masters could carve the figures, and then returned to its original place. Among the most interesting figures is Vishnu, reclining on his snake Ananta with his wife Lakshmi at his feet, a lotus flower with the supreme deity Brama grows from Vishnu's navel.

Phnom Kulen is a national nature Park with beautiful waterfalls, on the largest of which you can take a break from the Cambodian heat and swim. Phnom Kulen also played a role in modern history. It was here that the last battles between the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese took place in 1979. Near the mountain is Preah Ang Thom, a 16th century Buddhist monastery with the largest reclining Buddha statue in Cambodia.

Siem Reap is one of the largest cities in Cambodia. This is a calm, cozy city, spread out on the shady banks of the river of the same name. Most tourists come to Siem Reap to visit Angkor, which is only 5 km from here. But if earlier Siem Reap was a quiet sleeping area for travelers, today the city has grown and offers tourists a choice of numerous hotels and restaurants with cuisines from all over the world. The name Siem Reap means "Siam conquered". The city is named in honor of the defeat of the Siamese by the Khmers (thai) the capital of Ayutthaya in the 17th century.

There are few attractions in Siem Reap. It will be interesting to coincide with the trip to Angkor with a visit to the Angkor National Museum (Angkor National Museum), which contains a remarkable collection of artifacts from the ancient city, including about a thousand images of Buddha made of wood, stone and precious stones.

The French Quarter is a pleasant stroll along the river in the southern part of the city. To the south of it is the Old Market (Psar Chaa)... In addition to looking at the traders' stalls, here you can buy interesting souvenirs, for example, pencil "prints" of temples on rice paper, they are inexpensive, and look very beautiful on the wall. Behind the market, by the river, many vendors sell silk scarves and sarongs, carvings from wood, silver, and more.

An evening in Siem Reap can be spent on the bustling Pub Street (Pub Street) with a mass of restaurants, cafes and bars. Lovers of peace and romance can walk along the river bank to the south, to the southern outskirts of the city. Obsessive taxi drivers often offer tourists trips to the art school and silk factory. The main purpose of such an excursion is to persuade travelers to buy a painting or something made of silk, and at a price much higher than that for which you can buy a similar thing on the market.

Routes

When planning a route, almost all tourists ask themselves the main question: which temples to visit? There are a huge number of temples in Angkor and the surrounding area, and it is impossible to see them all - and it is not necessary. You should not try to fit as many temples as possible into the trip - by the end of the day, the sensations will dull, the temples will begin to merge into one and the impressions will be blurred. Better to focus on the minimum program: Bayonne , Angkor Wat, Ta-Prom, Ta-Keo within Angkor, Banteay Srei and Phnom Bakeng, as well as Beng Melea and Ko Ker beyond its borders.

Classic routes

Traditional routes in Angkor are "small circle" and "big circle". As practice shows, they are convenient from a geographic point of view, but not quite optimal for getting the best experience. It is better not to stick to the classic routes, but make your own travel plan for the most interesting temples.

To visit the distant temples of Ko-Ker and Beng-Melea, you can save daytime. If you arrive in Ko-Ker in the early morning, you will be walking almost alone. Then you can go in the direction of Angkor and stop at Beng-Melea on the way. Please note that Khmer taxi drivers really do not like to work at night, even if you find a driver who agrees to this, the cost of the trip at night will be at least 50% more expensive. It is also possible to spend the night in a guesthouse (tourist hotel) near Ko-Ker.

Small circle

This 17-kilometer route starts from the western wall of Angkor Wat and leads north past the Ta-Prom-Kel temples (Ta Prohm Kel)(Phnom Bakheng) (beautiful view at sunset) and Baksey-Chamkrong (Baksei Chamkrong) to the southern entrance to Angkor Thom (Angkor Thom)... On the central square of Angkor Thom behind the Bayon Temple (Bayon) the path turns east towards the Victory Gate (Victory Gate) and between the surprisingly similar twin temples of Chau-Sei-Tevoda (Chau Say Tevoda) and Tommanon (Thommanon) follows to the Ta-Keo temple (Ta Keo)... At this temple, the path turns to the southeast and bypasses the dried up reservoir East Baray (East Baray) leads to the Ta-Prom temple (Ta Prohm)... Then you need to walk between the huge Buddhist temple Banteay Kdei (Banteay Kdei) surrounded by four concentric walls and the dried-up Sras-Srang basin (Sras Srang), turn southwest and past the Prasat Kravan Hindu Temple (Prasat Kravan, easily recognizable by its five brick towers)

In the southeastern part of Asia is located unusually beautiful country with a great history - Cambodia. For a long time this kingdom was closed from tourists, but today it has become a very popular tourist destination. This exotic country attracts travelers with its mild climate, warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand, white beaches, and, of course, majestic temple buildings.

People come from all over the world to see the mysterious shrines with their own eyes - ancient temples of Cambodia , erected over a thousand years ago.

How and when temples were built

The construction of the sanctuaries was carried out by the ancestors of the present Cambodians - the Khmers, who from time immemorial inhabited the territory of the kingdom. This people, according to legend, originated from the connection between the daughter of the king of snake-like creatures - the nagas, and the Indian hermit.

The grandiose construction began in the 9th century, when numerous Khmer principalities under the leadership of Emperor Jayavarman II united into a great state - the Khmer Empire with its capital in the city of Angkor. In it, the founder of the dynasty erected the first temple complex, and his successors subsequently continued this work. Today, all the surviving temples of the ancient capital form the main attraction of the country - the Angkor temple complex. Its size is amazing - temples of Angkor in Cambodia is located on an area of ​​more than 200 thousand square meters. km.

The construction of religious buildings in the capital continued until the 12th century - it was during this period that the most famous temples of Cambodia were built. Around them, by that time, a huge city had already been built, which was inhabited by more than a million inhabitants. In the X-XIII centuries. the great Khmer Empire became the most developed state in all of Southeast Asia militarily and economically.

However, already in the second half of the 15th century, after a long siege by the Siamese, its capital fell and was destroyed.

The residents were forced to flee and abandon the city. Over the years, Angkor was swallowed up by the jungle, the humid climate did not spare many living quarters and soon nothing remained of them, but the temple buildings managed to survive. For 400 years, people forgot about ancient Angkor, until in 1860 the French traveler and naturalist Henri Muo came across it in the impenetrable thickets.

Angkor Wat

The largest temple in the entire world is Cambodian Angkor Wat, which rises a few kilometers from the city of Siemreal. This shrine was erected in the first half of the XII century in honor of the supreme god in Hinduism - Vishnu. The empire was ruled in those days by King Suryavarman II.

According to scientists, the construction of this structure took 5 million tons of stones - the same amount as was spent on the construction of the second largest Egyptian pyramid Khafra (Khafre).

The ancient builders put a lot of effort into creating an amazing architectural creation - all the stone blocks from which this sacred structure was built are artistically processed - scenes from the history of Khmers, Hindu mythology and ancient Indian epics are carved on all surfaces.

But the most amazing thing is that the Khmers did not use any solutions to fix the blocks together - the stones were hewn and fitted to each other in such a way that sometimes it is simply impossible to find the joints between them.

The main cult complex Cambodia Angkor Wat temple consists of 3 buildings, inside there are 5 lotus-shaped towers, the height of the central one reaches 65 meters. The complex is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide, which is always filled with water due to heavy rains. As conceived by the builders, this grandiose project symbolizes the abode of Brahma - the sacred Mount Meru: the central tower is the top, the walls are rocks, and the huge moat is the world ocean, washing the Universe from all sides.

Undoubtedly this temple in Cambodia - 8 wonders of the world , after all this is what historians all over the world call it.

Bayonne

Not far from Angkor Wat is the second largest ancient religious building. This is the Bayon temple, rebuilt in the XII century under the ruler Jayavarman VII.

Bayon temple in Cambodia has 54 towers, and it is no coincidence - each of them was a symbol of a province under the rule of the ruler. There are 4 faces carved on each tower - one on each side of the world.

The ancient builders managed to do the impossible - the expressions of all these faces change depending on the lighting and the time of day.

They can be kind, smile, be sad, and sometimes with their glance they even bring chilling horror to the soul. It is noteworthy that in whatever part of the temple a person is, he will always be under the gaze of stone eyes. It is believed that the carved faces are the face of the deity of compassion Avalokiteshvara. King Jayavarman VII became the prototype of his appearance.

Initially, the central tower of the temple had a gold coating, but it was torn off by the Siamese who captured the city. There was a four-meter-high figure of Buddha on it, but it was also destroyed. The walls of the temple are covered with beautiful bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the life of Cambodians - military campaigns, bloody battles, worship of the gods, circus performances, feasts and much more.

Ta Prom

Ta Prohm Temple (Ta Prohm, Ta Prohm) is another Buddhist religious building that is part of the structure of the city of Angkor. This temple-monastery was built at the end of the 12th century in honor of the mother of King Jayavarman VII. That is why, according to scientists, in its design in bas-reliefs and sculptures, apsaras prevail - the demigoddesses of Hindu mythology, the spirits of water and clouds.

Great popularity Ta Prohm temple in Cambodia acquired in 2001 after the release of the film "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" - it was in this abandoned building that Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie wandered.

Currently, the complex is an amazing sight in the best traditions of surrealism - all structures from the base to the roof are enveloped in bizarre dense vegetation. Here the roots and trunks of trees have climbed the walls for centuries, framed doors and windows, broke stone roofs, making their way to freedom.

It seems that there was once a merciless battle between the gods and nature on this territory, and the latter won, making the unique structure part of the earth. Now Ta Prohm and the jungle are an indivisible whole.

Bapuon

In the very center of the holy city of Angkor Thom there is another amazing temple 49 meters high - Bapuon. It appeared in the 11th century during the reign of Udayadityavarman II. This structure is shaped like a five-stage pyramid, consisting of three tiers.

Bapuon is distinguished from other sanctuaries by special bas-reliefs - they are made in the form of small squares, in which scenes from the daily life of the Khmers are carved. In his youth, the temple amazed with splendor.

Back in the 13th century, the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan admired him, calling him "a truly amazing sight." To this day, Bapuon reached in a very poor condition, and this is due to the sandy foundation on which it was built. It turned out to be unstable, and the grandiose building began to rapidly collapse.

Less famous temples in Cambodia

In Cambodia, there are several hundred ancient religious buildings that fascinate with their beauty and original architecture. The Koh Ker temple complex, located 90 km from Angkor, is considered to be very interesting. Tourists rarely visit this place, since getting there is not easy. Most of all, the temple-mountain Prasat Prang with a height of 32 meters in this complex attracts attention.

This temple in Cambodia it is also called the "pyramid of death" due to the fact that there is a deep well at its top. According to legend, after sacrifices to demons, lifeless bodies were thrown into it. It was believed that this well leads to the underworld.

Another amazingly beautiful temple is Preah Vihea, or, as it is also called, "Temple in Heaven". It was erected on a mountain, at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level. It is considered a very significant building for the ancient Khmers, since it was built for a very long time - the construction stretched out during the reign of seven kings.

The Buddhist temple Neakpean, created in the XII century, is distinguished by its originality. It is located in Angkor, near the city of Da Nang, on a small artificial island in the middle of a reservoir. According to an ancient legend, the water in these places is endowed with healing properties. Actually, this prompted King Javayarman VII to build a temple here.

Another miracle of Khmer architecture is the Banteay Srei Temple, located in the province of Siemreal. It was built in honor of the god Shiva in the X century. The temple became famous for its decoration - all its walls are covered with jewelry carving, which was practically not touched by time. Another feature of this structure is that it contains ancient pink statues of guardian monkeys.

1. English researchers G. Hancock and D. Grisby conducted large-scale computer studies, and came to a very curious conclusion: the main religious buildings of Cambodia are associated with a map of the sky of 10500 BC. NS. In their opinion, the Angkorian temples of Cambodia on the map, if connected by one line, recreate the outlines of the constellation of the Dragon.
2. The temples of Cambodia were not meant to be visited by believers. These places of worship were considered the abode of the gods, and only priests and monks could enter them. In some temples, tombs were erected for the rulers, whom they considered the embodiment of God on earth.
3. Each Khmer king followed the tradition - having ascended the throne, he began the construction of two temples - for himself and his ancestors. If he died, and the structures were not yet completed, they were left unfinished, and they immediately proceeded to a new construction.
4. An image is carved on the wall of the Ta Prohm temple, which to this day haunts scientists around the world. A herbivorous dinosaur is captured there, or more precisely, a stegosaurus that lived on the planet more than 150 million years ago. How the ancient Khmers learned about this animal is still a mystery.
5. There are several pyramid-shaped temples in Cambodia. As you know, such grandiose structures have been found only in Peru, Egypt and Cambodia. An old legend explains this fact - they were all built by the same people who roamed these countries.
6. Many Cambodian temples are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.