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Temples of

Why Go? ...... 130 Welcome to heaven on earth. Angkor (叒殶羶ទអង䮂រ​ ) is the ...... 139 earthly representation of Mt Meru, the Mt Olympus of the Hindu faith and the abode of ancient gods. The temples are ...... 139 the perfect fusion of creative ambition and spiritual devo- ...... 142 tion. The Cambodian ‘god-kings’ of old each strove to better ...... 148 their ancestors in size, scale and symmetry, culminating in Preah Neak Poan...... 149 the world’s largest religious building, Angkor Wat. ...... 150 The temples of Angkor are a source of inspiration and national pride to all Khmers as they struggle to rebuild their Temples ...... 151 lives after years of terror and trauma. Today, the temples ...... 152 are a point of pilgrimage for all Cambodians, and no travel- ...... 156 ler to the region will want to miss their extravagant beauty. Angkor is one of the world’s foremost ancient sites, with the epic proportions of the Great Wall of China, the detail and intricacy of the Taj Mahal and the symbolism and symmetry Best Temples of the pyramids, all rolled into one. for Sunrise or Sunset ¨¨Angkor Wat (p130) Don’t Miss ¨ ¨¨Bayon (p139) ¨Seeing the sun rise over the holiest of holies, Angkor Wat (p130), the world’s largest religious building ¨¨ (p144) ¨¨Contemplating the serenity and splendour of Bayon (p139), ¨¨ (p150) its 216 enigmatic faces staring out into the jungle ¨¨Sra Srang (p147) ¨¨Witnessing nature reclaiming the stones at the mysterious ruin of (p146), the Tomb Raider temple ¨¨Staring in wonder at the delicate carvings adorning Best Temples (p153), the finest seen at Angkor for Film Buffs ¨¨Trekking deep into the jungle to discover the River of a ¨¨Angkor Wat (p130) Thousand Lingas at (p153) ¨¨Bayon (p139) ¨¨Exploring the tangled vines, crumbling corridors and ¨¨ (p155) jumbled sandstone blocks of Beng Mealea (p155) ¨¨East Gate of Angkor Thom (p139) ¨¨Ta Prohm (p146) Temples of Angkor history 119

------established by his fa his by established Angkor

Udayadityavarman II (r Udayadityavarman of

baray Age

was constructed to the east of Phnom Phnom of east the to constructed was Golden

After After the death of I, Yasovarman power (r was Suryavarman 1002–49) a usurp Little physical evidence of Suryavarman ther, before beginning work on the Bakheng. Bakheng. the on work beginning before ther, Bakheng, Phnom as known is hill this Today over the sunset for viewing spot a favoured Angkor Wat. A raised highway was structed to con connect Phnom Bakheng with 16km Roluos, to and the a southeast, large baray it is Today known Bakheng. as the Eastern Yasovarman up. silted entirely has but Baray I of the also established temple-mountains Bok. Phnom and Krom Phnom briefly shifted from the Angkor region to Koh Ker, around 80km IV to Jayavarman king, usurper the another under northeast, (r 924–42). In AD 944 power returned again again returned power 944 AD In 924–42). (r Rajendra of leadership the under Angkor to was latter the temples; Srei Banteay and Keo king. the than rather Brahman a by built varman II (r 944–68), who built the Eastern Eastern the built who 944–68), (r II varman Mebon and Pre Rup. The reign of Ta his the son produced 968–1001) (r V Jayavarman cal cal period. While this period is marked by a also was it productivity, remarkable of fits The setbacks. and conquests turmoil, of time existence its owes Thom Angkor of city great which Angkor, of city old the that fact the to stood on the same dur site, was destroyed 1177. of invasion Cham the ing er to the who throne won the day through strategic alliances and military conquests. the he cult Hindu of adopted Although the a from come have to thought is he god-king, even may and tradition Buddhist Mahayana have sponsored the growth of in . Buddhist sculpture certainly became more in commonplace the Angkor time. his during region military his but at Angkor, remains reign I’s exploits brought much of central control the under southern-central and His of son Angkor. expe military further on embarked and 1049–65) more, once empire the extending ditions, Mebon. and the Baphuon were Western building region Mekong the in cities major Many and 11th the in settlements Khmer important The a of highlight the now are that temples The – Thom visit to – Angkor and Wat Angkor those in Angkor of city walled the around and were built during the golden age or classi his divinity and glory in a temple-mountain temple-mountain a in glory and divinity his of his on built own. He first an artifi the in island cial ------de was the the was baray Yasovarman (r (reservoir) at Roluos Roluos at (reservoir) through conquest. He He conquest. through also had religious signifi religious had also the earthly representative representative earthly the , baray Born

baray is

(god-king) Angkorian period spans more than 600 600 than more spans period Angkorian Empire

Jayavarman II Jayavarman himself a proclaimed The hundreds of surviving temples are but but are temples surviving of hundreds The I Indravarman (r 877–89) is believed to ’s son Jayavarman II (r 802–50). He was the first first the was He 802–50). (r II Jayavarman uated at various locations, including Phnom Phnom including locations, various at uated and Wat, of Angkor northeast 40km Kulen, 13km ), as then (known Roluos Reap. Siem of east An The period began Angkorian with the rule of to sit unify was Cambodia’s court competing His kingdoms Angkor. of birth the before of the Hindu god , and built a ‘temple- a built and Shiva, god Hindu the of mountain’ at Phnom of Kulen, place the Mt holy Meru, dwelling Shiva’s symbolising This universe. the of centre the at mountain fea dominant a became that precedent a set ers in Southeast Asia. This era encompasses encompasses era This Asia. Southeast in ers with wars and revival, and decline of periods and My Thailand in , powers rival the with only deals history brief This anmar. can that the temples produced that periods Angkor. at seen be reli political, of vast the skeleton sacred the ancient Cambodia’s of centre social boast and gious zenith, its at that, city a empire; Khmer London when million one of population a ed was a small were town Angkor of of palaces and be – 50,000. buildings The public decayed houses, long now – wood of constructed brick of structures in dwell to right the cause gods. the for reserved was stone or varaja ture of period and the accounts Angkorian productivity architectural staggering the for time. this at Khmers the of inherited probably and a usurper, been have of mantle the a 6.5-sq-km built The Ko. Preah established created and that system irrigation an of stage first master Khmers ancient the city, a hydraulic lands. their to of ing water the cycle nature in har together worked and Form function the as mony, the surrounding oceans representing cance, was work Ba final Meru. Mt Indravarman’s Mt Meru. of representation pyramidal a kong, 889–910) looked further afield to celebrate The The from years AD 802 to This 1432. incredible age saw of the the construction of temples Khmer the of consolidation the and Angkor position as empire’s one of the great pow History