Is it very difficult to surprise you? Have you visited all corners of the planet and think that you have seen everything? Then I propose to dispel your skepticism with another tour, which includes a visit to one of the most striking monuments of the ancient Khmer religion. Today we go to a distant Southeast Asia, in the jungle of which no less secrets and artifacts are hidden than in South America with its famous Mayan and Inca settlements. The ultimate goal of our tourist travel- the majestic temple of Angkor Wat, which has a history of approximately 900 years.
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If you believe official sources, then the construction of the temple was started 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. Myself temple complex 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 most high point located 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 amazes with its 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 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 sites and is under protection. Despite this, the years have caused irreparable damage to the structure, the basis for which was 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 all the buildings, without exception, 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 grief Mere. The buildings seem to repeat all 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 that surround tall towers whose walls 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 Bafuon 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 those impressions for which you came here as part of a tourist group led by an experienced guide.
But if you have been here before, you can refuse the services of a guide. This will give you a significant advantage over other tourists who absent-mindedly wander the walls of the buildings, following on the heels of the guide who follows the usual central route. In this case, you will not be able to appreciate all the greatness of architecture and look into the far corners of Angok Wat.
Angkor- not quite a city, but rather temple city, the size of which is amazing: it stretched out on 24 km from west to east and to 8 kilometers from North to South! It is located in the Mekong Valley about 240 km northwest of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh. For many centuries the city has kept its mysteries.
In the immediate vicinity of Angkor Wat is the Angkor Thom complex (transl. Great Capital), which includes the temples: Bayon, Elephant Terrace, Prasat Suor Prat, Terrace of the Leper King, Khabang, the royal palace. The complex was the capital of the Khmer Empire in the XII-XV centuries. Built in 1177, during the reign of Jayavarman VII on the site of the former capital, Yashodharapura, destroyed as a result of the war with Champa.
This plan clearly shows the location of the temples. Angkor Wat - below, Angkor Thom complex - above with Bayon in the center. The whole complex occupies 9 km², surrounded by a wall with entrances on four sides and a moat filled with water.
From the point of view of Khmer mythology, the complex is a macrocosm of the universe with the Bayon temple in the center. Now most of the Angkor Thom complex is occupied by a forest, as can be seen on the map above, but in the 13th century it was a huge city, people lived here.
Angkor Wat(transl. City-Temple) a giant temple complex dedicated to the god Vishnu - the pearl of the complex, it is the best preserved and is a wonderful example of Khmer architecture and art! It covers an area of 2 km², being the largest religious building on Earth. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II (1112-1152).
Angkor Wat has survived much better than many other Khmer structures, which is explained by the fact that even after the desolation of these places, Buddhist monks lived in Angkor Wat. At the end of the 13th century, the Khmer Empire collapsed and the temple was abandoned. For 600 years until 1858, the temple remained lost in the jungle of northern Cambodia. 
Both the Khmers and Europeans knew about the existence of the abandoned city. Portuguese travelers visited it in the 16th century. However, the Frazian Henri Muo really opened the ancient city to the West. January 22, 1861 French naturalist Henri Mouault, lost in the jungle north of the lake Tonle Sap, stumbled upon the picturesque ruins of Ankor, which I had been looking for for a long time. In his search, he was guided by the notes of European travelers who had visited Ankor long before him. But it was Muo's work, published after his death, that made Cambodia very popular with Europeans. Hundreds, if not thousands of tourists rushed to Ankor. What appeared to Muo's eyes has nothing to do with what we see. Everything here was covered with lush vegetation. You have to deal with it constantly. If Anchor is not cleared for three years, all this beauty will again be swallowed up by the jungle.
There was a city (many say it looks more like a network of cities connected to each other). It took 400 years to build. There were temples, hospitals (at least a hundred hospitals!), Libraries, bridges, roads, a unique irrigation system that allowed harvesting 4 crops of rice a year. Was huge empire... And there were, of course, wars. With tyams and tays. What all these peoples did not share - no one can say for sure. But the Siamese troops completely captured the city. And the great civilization died. The builders are gone, the inhabitants are gone, the servants of the temples and even the conquerors are gone. Why? There are various opinions: traditional post-war epidemics, or maybe the residents considered the city dishonored, who knows? Mystical explanations were also given: they say, a certain project was simply completed.
Bayonne was originally built as a Buddhist temple. It is from its walls that the famous stone faces of Angkor look at tourists. Scientists are still arguing over who is depicted on the towers of Bayonne. Some believe that these are the faces of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, others that King Jayavarman immortalized his face in them!
Bayon Towers
The temple has three levels and is surrounded by three walls. The main part of the decoration of the temple is the image of the everyday and everyday life of the Khmers. There is also a blank wall 4.5 meters high, which depicts scenes of Jayavarman VII's victory over the Cham in the Battle of Tonle Sap Lake.
Ankor Wat can be called a "funeral" temple. Suryavarman started its construction so that after his death his ashes would be placed there. So the purpose of Ankor Wat is the same as that of the Egyptian pyramids. A stone-paved road leads to the temple. Ankor Wat has the shape of a three-stage pyramid. Its walls are covered with skillful carvings. The most common figure here is the figure of the apsara, the goddess, the celestial dancer. There are thousands of them here, none of them is like the other; they have different facial expressions, different figures, ornaments. One belt is not similar, for example, to the other. The bracelets on the shoulders differ. If you look closely at the hats, they also differ from each other.
The terraces are of different heights. Thus, an amazing effect is achieved - as you get closer, the temple increases in size. The temple grows right before the eyes of the viewer. The effect is amazing. You walk, and all this whopper hangs over you. To get to the upper terrace, you need to climb a rather steep staircase. The steps here are as narrow and high as those of the Mayan pyramids.
The country has preserved ancient legend about the favorite of the gods, Prince Pra Ket Mealea, taken by the great Indra to his heavenly palace, located in the center of the Universe. However, the prince did not get along with the celestial dancers, and they begged Indra to send the young man back to earth. To console the young man, Indra ordered the architect of the gods Dust Pusnuk to build a palace of unprecedented beauty on earth in the image and likeness of the heavenly abode of the gods
At the central tower you feel like some kind of pygmy. Then you understand that the legend about the divine origin of Ankor Wat did not arise by chance. According to this legend, Ankor Wat was erected by the son of the god Indra, the Khmer king Preh Katomialia. Once he visited his father's heavenly palaces. The son really liked Indra's cowshed - he decided to build the same one, but only a palace. So Ankor Wat is an exact copy of Indra's cowshed.
Bas-reliefs in the galleries of Angkor
Banteay Srei was built earlier than Angkor, in the second half of the 10th century during the reign of King Rajendravarman. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It was built of red sandstone and richly decorated with carvings and sculptures, many of which have survived to this day.
Banteay Srei often referred to as the gem in the Angkor necklace.
Initially, the temple was named Tribhuvanamahesvara in honor of Lord Shiva, which literally translates as the lord of three dimensions. Modern name Banteay Srei translates as the citadel of a woman or the citadel of beauty.
The temple was rediscovered in 1914, after 15 years, restoration was carried out. Banteay Srei was robbed several times, the most famous case happened in 1923, when the Frenchman André Malraux kidnapped 4 figures. He was later arrested and the figures returned!
Guards figurines are replaced with copies.
Architecturally Banteay Srei consists of 3 towers surrounded by 3 rows of walls and a moat. 2 buildings opposite the central church served as libraries. The temple is oriented to the east and has 2 entrances.
The carving is unique and has a mostly religious character
The view from space to Angkor from above gives an amazing picture of the map of the starry sky, but the starry sky that existed 10,500 years ago! And this is in no way explainable. Georges Caude - French archaeologist - named some of the temple ensembles
the mystical center of a vanished empire ...
18.07.11. UN Court ordered Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw troops from ancient Khmer temple
The two countries, Thailand and Cambodia, have argued for decades over who should own the temple of the Khmer civilization. At the beginning of this year, border clashes resulted in the death of 18 people and the displacement of dozens of peasants. For the first time, the situation on the border between Thailand and Cambodia became more complicated in 2008, when UNESCO included in the register of human heritage the Hindu temple of the 11th century Preah Vihear of the Angkor Empire, which this UN organization attributed to Cambodia. Thailand disagreed with this position.
Angkor Wat is a huge Hindu temple complex in Cambodia, which is often called the "eighth wonder of the world." This is the world's largest religious building dedicated to the god Vishnu. The silhouette of Angkor Wat is the national symbol of Cambodia, adorns the flag and coat of arms of the state. This striking and expressive example of the architecture of the Khmer Empire attracts many tourists to the country.
The Angkor Wat temple complex symbolizes the universe, and its five towers in the shape of lotus buds symbolically represent the heavenly abode of the gods - Mount Meru with its five peaks.
Inside the central tower, which rises 65 m above ground level, is hidden the lingam of Shiva, the symbol of the life-giving divine power... Around there are 4 lower towers with their own courtyards and galleries that enclose them. From any point of view, you can see only three of the five towers of Angkor Wat.
The temple complex consists of three levels with terraces and galleries that rise as you move towards the central tower. These three levels symbolize parts of the legendary Mount Meru, in the upper part of which the gods lived, in the middle one lived people, and below, under the mountain, demons. Angkop-Bat is essentially a huge three-step pyramid surrounded by a huge moat 3.6 km long, symbolizing the world's oceans.
The Angkor Wat temple covers an area of 200 hectares, including the surrounding moat 190 m wide.
The walls of Angkor Wat are covered with intricate carvings, among which you can see images of deities, battle scenes and many apsaras - heavenly maidens, according to the legends of delighting those who have gone to heaven. More than 2 thousand images of apsaras can be counted in Angkor Wat, and all of them are not repeated. The total area of the sculptural works of the Angkor Wat complex is about 2 thousand square kilometers.
Excursions
A variety of travel agencies offer thematic or package excursions to the Angkor Wat temple complex. Also excursion tours can be booked on the official website of the Cambodia travel agency.
If tourists arrived in the country not through the Siem Reap airport closest to the Angkor Wat complex, you can use the intercity by bus by booking a ticket on the official website of the Cambodia Tourism Bureau.
Road from Siem Reap
Before historical site can be reached from Siem Reap to rickshaw- tuk-tuk. This transport service can be booked in advance with the help of hotel staff.
Experienced tourists note that for moving around ancient city It is better to rent transport for the whole day in Angkor, because the distance between the temples is quite large. The distance of crossings along the so-called large circle is 26 km, and along the small circle - 17 km. The car costs twice as much as tuk-tuk, that is, $ 40 a day, but it travels much faster and in most cases is equipped with air conditioning.
Tourists can rent automobile in a licensed company, choosing from the list of firms on the official website of the Cambodia travel agency.
The parking lot is located near the bridge, along which the road to the temple complex goes.
Angkor Wat temple video
It is a constitutional monarchy with a king as its head. The legislature is the parliament, which consists of two chambers. Its capital is Phnom Penh, and its main attraction is Angkor Wat (Cambodia). The photo below shows it at sunset.
A little about the country and its population
A small state lost in the green jungle. It originated in the 600s A.D. The nature is still pristinely beautiful and surprises the traveler with amazing plants of the wet savanna and unusual animals. In the center is A, surrounded by mountains on three sides. And the fourth overlooks the Gulf of Thailand. The main artery of the country and Tonle Sap flow through the valley. This amazing stream periodically changes its direction. A river can drain into or out of a lake. The population of the country is the Khmer people (approximately 14 million), who are 95% Buddhists. There are more than 4 thousand temples for them. The language that is used in everyday life is Khmer, the elderly speak French, the youth are learning English and Chinese. The climate is humid and hot. Best months to visit - from the end of October to April, when there is a dry winter with temperatures from + 22 ° C to + 26 ° C. But the humidity is 93% all year round.
Landmarks of the country
The tourism business in the country is still poorly developed. The city of Siem Reap is known for its pagodas, temples and wats: Wat Bo (wall paintings), Preah Angcherk and Preah Angchorm pagoda (very revered by the locals. There are two Buddha statues here), Yatep - local spirits live here who guard the city. Sihanoukville is different beautiful beaches and diving centers. But still, the main thing that Cambodia is proud of is the Angkor temple complex. Everything fades before it, like the stars and the moon before the light of the sun. It is located near the city of Siemrap. Sights - Angkor - are located in the center of the state of Cambodia in all their grandeur.
In addition, this historical reserve has It is also visited and very interesting temple... It opens from above great view to Angkor. The jungle dominates Ta Prome and is not going to leave it for now. There are also more modest, but no less remarkable temples: Baksei Chamkorng, Thama Bai Kaek and Prasat Bey.
World Heritage under the supervision of UNESCO
Giant, the largest - that's all about Angkor. Cambodia a thousand years ago very quickly, in just 30-40 years, erected and also decorated a temple for Hindus, worshipers of the god Vishnu. This was done at the direction of King Suryavarman II. He was a warrior who spent time not in amusements, but in worries about strengthening and centralizing the state. But he remained in history as the creator of the Angkor temple. Cambodia has attracted all its forces for its design and construction.
Design
By the time Angkor was created, Indian culture had existed for at least 4-4.5 millennia. The knowledge of Indian astronomers was extremely high. It can be assumed that they were involved in the creation of the layout of Angkor. Cambodia would hardly have been able to do this on its own. Moreover, the temple was dedicated to the deity Vishnu - the keeper of the universe, the protector from evil, the link between people and the Universe.
At the end of the 20th century, the British historian D. Grisby concluded that the main structures in Angkor are projections onto the ground. He was prompted to search for such a relationship by an inscription on an excavated stele of the 12th century, which reported that their country was similar to the sky. This connection is indicated by another inscription of an earlier time, which says that the stones of Angkor are associated with the movement of the stars in the sky. This gave rise to numerous modern research and debates in the world of historians and archaeologists. They do not stop today.
Construction
At that time, there was a lot of sandstone in the kingdom of Cambodia. The Angkor temple complex was built from it. The construction took about five million tons of material. It was floated down the Siemrap River. All stones are very smooth, as if they were polished. No mortar was used to hold them together, and they are only held by their own weight. They fit one another so perfectly that the blade of a thin knife does not pass between them. It is believed that elephants were used in the construction. Absolutely all surfaces are covered with kilometers of carving. These are scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, unicorns and dragons, warriors, griffins, charming dedavasis (dancers). From all of the above, it follows that there were very skillful craftsmen who built Angkor. Cambodia, by all assumptions, had centuries of experience in such construction.
Architecture
It was a period of maturity in the development of sophisticated architecture with complete harmony of all its parts. As in many ancient civilizations, the sanctuary was the abode of the gods. Only the priestly estate and kings gathered in it, and it was also intended for the burial of rulers. Angkor Wat, a temple complex in Cambodia, is a rectangle measuring 1.5 x 1.3 thousand meters and an area of two km². The area of the Vatican is almost three times smaller. Along the entire perimeter there is a moat filled with water, 190 m wide. A platform is installed in the center of the courtyard, which is fenced off by a wall. A temple was built on it. No capsule has been found anywhere with its original name or construction start date. Temple Angkor Wat (Cambodia) consists of three buildings with a common center. It houses five lotus-shaped towers. The highest central tower rises 65 meters from the ground. The main entrance leads from the west. The road to it, made of sandstone blocks, is surrounded by low parapets, on which there are sculptures of snakes with seven heads.
Today, the entrance to the gopuram (gate tower above the entrance) is through sacred place under the south tower. It contains a huge Vishnu figure with 8 arms. She fills all the space with herself.
The sculptural design is organically connected with the entire composition of the temple. On the first tier, the most remarkable are eight huge images, the area of which is 1.2 thousand square meters. m. The walls of the 2nd tier are decorated with bas-reliefs of apsaras (heavenly maidens). There are two thousand of them. The entire courtyard can be seen from the second level. Stone steps lead to the third level, to the huge conical towers. The highest is the center of the universe. All the towers represent, as the ancient Khmers understood it, the abode of the gods. In the tallest one a reclining figure of Buddha is still preserved, although the temple was originally dedicated to Vishnu.
Historical reserve
The temples of Angkor in Cambodia are not limited to the colossal and mysterious Angor Wat. The city of Angkor itself was the "City of Capitals" with a population of over 1,000,000 people living in wooden houses, which rotted in high humidity. Its ruins are located about five km from the Angkor Wat complex. There are preserved temples that were built from sandstone and tuff: the terrace of elephants, Ta-Prohm, Angor-Thom (included in the UNESCO heritage list), Preah-Kan (translated as "sacred sword"), Ta-Proum and the Bayon temple. He has 54 towers directed to the sky, and all of them are decorated with images of Buddha.
Angor Thom ("Great Capital") and Bayon Temple
It was the capital under the ruler Jayavarman VII. He adopted the philosophy of Buddha and built a square city in his honor with a fantastic area of 900 hectares. It is divided by roads into 4 equal parts. Remains of stone buildings have sprouted in the jungle. In the center stands the Bayon Temple.
Its size is smaller than other sights of Cambodia, but if you come closer to it, it amazes with grandeur. Bayon has three levels. The first depicts scenes from peaceful life and battles. On the second, which is much better preserved, the tourist finds himself in a labyrinth of galleries with low ceilings. On each of the fifty towers, faces are carved, which, depending on the lighting, can look either good or evil. These ruins look majestic, especially when viewed from the third level.
Ta-Prohm
This is a temple-monastery, which was called Rajahavira ("royal monastery") with a complex layout. Its territory is heavily overgrown with trees with powerful trunks and branches. Its clearing began back in 1920. But the jungle does not want to part with him. This Buddhist temple is very romantic, as part of the destruction and tropical trees are deliberately left in it. It makes an indelible impression on tourists. On the territory of the monastery, among the ring structures, there are large silk trees and strangler trees.
If the seed remains in the crack of the masonry, then it gradually grows and breaks the wall with its roots and a heavy trunk. Initially, they become the frame of the building, but when they die, they destroy it. The temple itself consists of three galleries with one center. It is surrounded by a moat. Entrances through the gopura (entrance towers) are located on the four cardinal points. The stele in the monastery describes its wealth (tons of gold dishes, silk beds), and also credits the king with the creation of hundreds of statues of gods, decorative towers, almost half a thousand stone dwellings, as well as the presence of hospitals in the kingdom. All the remaining walls are of course exquisitely carved. The place where the episode of the film "Lara Croft - Tomb Raider" with Angelina Jolie was filmed is very popular among tourists. Red paint has been preserved on one of the pillars. As the guides say, human blood was added to it. In fact, iron oxides were added to it, which are very resistant to fading. The stegosaurus that is carved into one of the medallions is something inexplicable about Ta Prohma.
Angkor, Cambodia: how to get there
By air
There are no direct flights from Russia to Cambodia. Near Siem Reap city there is international Airport... It receives liners via China (eastern and southern airlines), Korea (Seoul), Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand (Bangkok, Pattaya). The most expensive, but also the most popular flight is Bangkok-Siem Reap. It is easier to fly to Bangkok and then take a flight via Kuala Lumpur or Phnom Penh. From the capital of Cambodia, you can go further by taxi or bus. The airport is 7 km from Siem Reap, and the hotel can be easily reached. And if a room is booked, the tourist will be met free of charge and taken to the hotel.
Waterway
Siem Reap can be reached by speed boat from Phnom Penh, if time and money permit. Tickets are sold at the hotel reception or travel agencies. Traveling along the lake and river in six hours will allow you to get acquainted with the life of the local population.
Bus
From neighboring Asian states (Thailand, Vietnam), as well as from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, you can get there by bus. A lot of flights are offered. The cheapest are Cambodian. Bus in the afternoon - quite safe transport... Night trips are not recommended.
Tours "Angkor-Cambodia"
Tour operators offer a trip to exotic Cambodia. For example, the Moscow companies Level.travel, VAND, Coral Trevel, and TEZ-tour. Tours are designed for three days and two nights.
Hello dear readers! Today, the goal of our virtual trip will be the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia. The Angkor region was the center of Cambujadesh, the ancient Khmer state. In addition to Cambodia itself, it included the territories of today's Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.
As you know from, this feudal kingdom existed from the 9th to the 13th century. It reached its peak in the XII century, when Angkor Wat was being built. History is silent as to how the temple was called at that time.
Suryavarman II, one of the rulers of the Khmer Empire, erected it in honor of the Hindu god Vishnu. Therefore, there are suggestions that the historical name could sound like "Varah Vishnuloka", that is, "the place where saint Vishnu dwells."
What does the modern name mean
Angkor (from Sanskrit nagara) means city. It is interesting that in Kambujadesh they spoke two languages: the rulers in Sanskrit, and the commoners in Khmer. The word "Wat" in the languages of Asian countries can mean a temple, pagoda or monastery.
Temple complex of Angkor Wat, Cambodia
The Khmer language is no exception, but it also has a second meaning of the word "Wat": it is "admiration" or "veneration."
Cambodians are incredibly proud of their main shrine. The image of Angkor Wat is present on the state symbols of the country: the coat of arms and the flag.
Thus, the name of the sanctuary can be translated as:
- city-temple;
- city temple;
- metropolitan temple.
But in fact, the word Angkor has long become a proper name and therefore cannot be translated in any way. Therefore, Angkor Wat is the temple of Angkor.
Location
The ruins of Angkor are located very close to Siem Reap. It is the capital of the Cambodian province of the same name. Angkor Archaeological Park covers approximately four hundred square meters. km along with its wooded territory.
Temple complex Angkor Wat on the map
Here are the majestic relics of the capitals of the Khmer Empire that existed in different time from the 9th to the 15th centuries. They also include the Angkor Wat temple, which will be discussed in our story. Angkor Archaeological Park has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1992.
Rediscovering the world
The once great Kambujadesha was bled to death by endless wars with neighbors and exorbitant expenditures on grandiose construction. In the XIV century, it ceased to exist. Angkor Wat gradually fell into desolation, but was not completely abandoned, since monks have always lived here.
Two centuries later, the first Europeans visit the sacred place. They were the Portuguese. First, the merchant Diogo do Couto published his traveller's notes. And 36 years later, the monk Antonio da Madalena, having visited the ruins of the temple, described it in excellent colors.
But Europeans really became interested in the shrine in 1860. This time, the French did their bit in drawing attention to the shrine:
- Preacher Charles-Emile Buyevo, who published a two-volume edition of his impressions of visiting this place.
- Naturalist and traveler Henri Muo, who popularized the great Khmer temple among Westerners.
- Henri Ernest Jean Parmentier, archaeologist and later director of the French Institute Of the Far East, who studied, described in documents and participated in the restoration of the monuments of Angkor.
The Paris Colonial Exhibition, which was held in 1931, exhibited a model of the Angkor Wat sanctuary.
Angkor Wat model at the Royal Palace, Cambodia
Not without barbaric antics. In the 70s, some of the buildings and sculptural images were damaged by the Pol Pot people. Well, now, protected by the world community, the temple is the number one attraction in the Kingdom of Cambodia, and any travel agency will tell you how to get here.
Those who have already visited here share their experience with tourists:
- The entrance ticket can be bought for a day, three days or a week. It must be saved, since ticket inspectors periodically check tickets. With a ticket, you can leave the complex any number of times during the paid time and enter again. It is personal: your photo will be taken at the checkout, and it will be on the ticket.
- Forgery of a ticket is punishable by law, as well as looting and damage to the property of Angkor.
- It is customary to meet the sunrise at 5 am, and the complex closes at 5:30 pm.
- You need to dress appropriately, covering your shoulders and knees. The headpiece will save you from sunstroke. And shoes, despite the heat, are recommended to choose comfortable ones, such as sneakers, since the stairs with stone steps are very steep.
- Well, and absolutely obvious truths: do not litter, smoke, touch the images with your hands. It is necessary to respectfully treat and follow the instructions of signs and plates on the territory.
Before visiting the temple, of course, it is a good idea to have some theoretical knowledge. Therefore, let us turn to the description of its architecture.
Architectural features
The Angkorian style in which this sanctuary was built combines features of both Khmer and Hindu architecture. It is a temple-personifying mountain, combined with many galleries. The building consists of three rectangular terraces that make up a pyramid.
The inner rectangular courtyard covers two hundred hectares. It is surrounded by a wall four and a half meters high. On the outer side of the wall, a moat filled with water stretches for more than three and a half kilometers.
Along its edges, the land is cleared of the jungle to a width of thirty meters. The width of the moat is one hundred and ninety meters, and it is believed that it was he who saved the temple from death and from the invasion of wild animals from the jungle in the years of oblivion.
Angkor Wat towers
Five towers give the monastery its unique beauty. Each of them is shaped like a lotus flower. The tower in the center rises sixty-five meters into the sky. She is forty-two meters taller than the other four.
Khmer believers did not go to temples: their gods dwelt here. Only representatives of the clergy and rulers could go inside. Agkor Wat also served as the tomb of Suryavarman II.
The entrance to the temple is through the western gopura (tower above the gate), which is considered the main one. It consists of three dilapidated turrets, behind which at first the giant main building is not visible, and is similar in shape. Coming out of the gopura, the traveler goes to the temple along the road, on both sides of which there is a parapet with sculptures of snakes with seven heads.
The road is laid along a dam made of sandstone. Probably the dam was previously replaced wooden bridge... On the east side, an earthen embankment leads to the shrine. There are gopuras from all four cardinal directions, but three others are smaller than the western one.
Vishnu statue in the south tower, Angkor Wat, Cambodia
There is a Vishnu statue in the south tower. It is believed that he appeared in it later, and initially his place was in the central hall. The four gopuras on each of the three tiers are connected by galleries adorned with square columns along the outer wall.
The galleries are so spacious that an elephant could pass through them, if desired. Because of this, the other name for gopur is "elephant gate". The ceiling of the galleries is decorated with stone lotus flowers. And the walls have the richest decoration, over a thousand square meters. What is it:
- bas-reliefs with scenes from the history of the Khmers, ancient Indian epics and Hindu myths;
- figurines of two thousand charming demigoddesses - apsaras with intricate sophisticated hairstyles;
The bas-reliefs on the walls of the temple - apsaras
- griffins;
- sculptures of dancing people;
- dragons with wings harnessed to chariots;
- figures of men dancing on the backs of running animals;
- unicorns;
- warriors with leaders riding on elephants;
- devatas.
On the map of the complex, there were originally both city buildings and Royal Palace... But they all collapsed over time, since they were not built of stone. Only the outlines of some streets have survived to this day.
From the main road to the temple, there are six pairs of side stairs perpendicular to it, along which you can go down to the territory the former city... There are two library buildings located symmetrically on both sides of the road, and in front of them are ponds. These reservoirs, like the cross-shaped terrace, into which the main road passes, appeared later than other elements of the complex.
Subtleties of construction
The stones used for the construction are so smooth that they seem to be polished. No mortar was used to couple them. They fit so tightly to neighboring stones that the seams are not visible at all.
Sometimes there are no connections at all in the blocks, they are held by gravity. In most of the blocks, researchers noticed multiple holes about three centimeters in length and slightly smaller in cross section. Opinions about their purpose differ: some scientists believe that they are intended for metal rods-connections, others - that they are for connecting parts, with the help of which the movement of stones was facilitated during installation.
There is evidence that elephants were used to activate the block mechanism. The ropes were made from coir, the middle layer of the coconut wall. So the stones were lifted into place.
There are holes in the walls too. This suggests that there were once panels of bronze here. It was the height of chic in antiquity, but it also attracted marauders.
The figure indicating the amount of sandstone used for the construction of this ancient monument is impressive: more than five million tons. This building material was delivered from the Kulen plateau along the Siem Reap River.
According to modern concepts, a structure of such complexity should have been erected for several hundred years. Nevertheless, the construction of Angkor Wat was completed in about forty years - the lifetime of its founder. This indicates that the builders had some special knowledge and skills.
And finally, quite sensational information: scientists have established with the help of computer programs that the location of the temples of the Angkor complex exactly corresponds to the location of the stars in the constellation of the Dragon, as it was at the time of sunrise ten and a half thousand years BC, on the day of the vernal equinox. what is thismiracleSveta, which is only about a thousand years old, continues to keep its secrets.
Conclusion
Having visited the Angkor Wat temple, even hardened skeptics admit that the famous place has amazing energy and sinks into the soul for a long time. Many come back here again, and more than once. In one thing, the tourists who have visited here are unanimous: this miracle must be seen with your own eyes at least once in your life.
