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Welcome to Angkor Wat
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The Khmer Empire in present day Cambodia once ruled much of Southeast Asia between the ninth and 15th centuries. The most famous of the many remains from this mighty empire is the temple complex of Angkor Wat, which King Suryavarman II first constructed during the early 12th century. Today, Angkor Wat remains the world’s biggest religious structure and has become not only Cambodia’s most visited tourist attraction, but also a major national symbol prominently displayed on Cambodia’s flag. Siem Reap, just five and a half kilometers south of Angkor Wat, is the closest major city to this majestic temple. At least half of all foreign tourists to Cambodia paid a visit to Angkor Wat during their stay in the country, but Angkor Wat is merely the most famous of the many well-preserved Khmer Empire ruins in Angkor Archaeological Park. Angkor Archaeological Park is also where the remains of the Khmer Empire’s ancient capital city, Angkor Thom, can be found. No other city prior to the Industrial Revolution had a larger population than Angkor Thom, which has been estimated to be home to as many as one million people. The best known of Angkor Archaeological Park’s over 100 or more sacred stone temples, aside from Angkor Wat itself, are Bayon, Baphuon, the Elephant Terrace, and the temple mountain of Phnom Bakheng. Khmer is both the dominant language and dominant ethnic group in Cambodia. Eighty percent of the more than 14 million people who live in Cambodia identify themselves as Khmer and speak the language. Chinese, Vietnamese, Khmer Loeu, and Cham are Cambodia’s other major ethnic groups. Although many older Cambodians speak French, the language of Indochina’s former colonists, younger Cambodians have preferred to learn English. No fewer than half of Cambodia’s population is under the age of 22, and the population’s life expectancy has increased dramatically during the past decade. Although tourism has now become one of Cambodia’s main industries, many people in the country’s more rural areas remain unaccustomed to foreign visitors. Angkor Wat may be the world’s biggest Hindu temple, but Theravada Buddhism is the preferred religion for 96 percent of Cambodians. Most of the remaining four percent of Cambodia’s population practise Christianity or Islam, and most of Cambodia’s Muslims belong to the country’s Malay and Cham minority groups. Cambodia has been a predominantly Buddhist country for nearly 2,000 years, and Theravada Buddhism has been the nation’s dominant religion for centuries, except for the years it was banned by the Khmer Rouge. Many of Cambodia’s highland tribal groups have their own local spirits and religious beliefs, and most Cambodians believe in their ancestors’ guardian spirits along with their official religions. The Cambodian riel may be the country’s official currency, but American dollars are also widely accepted to the point where most of Cambodia’s ATMs dole out American dollars instead of Cambodian riels. Cambodian riel coins, however, are generally used instead of American coins. One riel is equivalent to either 10 kak or 100 sen, and currency notes are 50 riel, 100 riel, 500 riel, 1,000 riel, 2,000 riel, 5,000 riel, 10,000 riel, 20,000 riel, and 50,000 riel. According to the fixed exchange rate, one American dollar is equal to 4,000 riels, but the actual exchange rate between riels and dollars is usually higher. Visitors should spend as many riels as they can in Cambodia because the currency is difficult to exchange outside the country. Thai baht is also widely accepted in many communities close to Cambodia’s border with Thailand. A 190m moat surrounds the majestic 12th century temple complex of Angkor Wat, the main attraction of Angkor Archaeological Park. Angkor Wat stands 65m high and was designed as a representation of Mount Meru, a sacred Hindu symbol, with three galleries placed on top of each other and shaped like rectangles. Angkor Wat also contains four towers which combine to form a lotus flower shape, over 300 heavenly nymphs known as apsara adorning the temple, and a long wall of bas reliefs depicting various historic battles, legends, and other events. Angkor Wat is a breathtaking sight at any time of day, but is most impressive of all during sunrise and the middle of the afternoon. From a distance, the Bayon temple’s 54 towers merely look like piles of stones. However, the closer visitors come to this temple in the middle of Angkor Thom, the better they will be able to see and appreciate the 216 faces carefully carved into Bayon’s towers. The first two of Bayon’s three levels are rectangular, but the top level is round, and four faces have been carved into each of Bayon’s 54 towers. Bayon’s bas reliefs are no less spectacular, cover a distance of over a kilometer, and depict over 11,000 figures. The inner gallery exhibits mythical legends and figures, while the outer gallery contains scenes of daily life during the era when Bayon was built. The Baphuon temple is another representation of the sacred Mount Meru, and is situated northwest of the Bayon temple. A giant reclining Buddha was added to the Baphuon’s western face following the region’s conversion to Buddhism during the 16th century, but its carving was never completed. The three-tiered Baphuon was first constructed in the middle of the 11th century. Although Cambodia’s civil war interrupted archaeological work on the Baphuon, the temple has recently been reopened to the public and is currently undergoing reconstruction. Thousands of people once lined the 350m Elephant Terrace viewing stand to watch official royal ceremonies and other public events. Nowadays, the Elephant Terrace, whose elaborate decorations also include lions, is much more relaxing and tranquil, but no less beautiful. This impressive terrace received its current name from a 15th century sculpture of the Hindu god of death discovered at the site. The sculpture became known as the Leper King because of its growing moss and discoloration. It takes roughly three and a half hours to walk the 13kms around the Terrace of the Leper King’s five entrance gates, the most tranquil of which are the northern and western gates. The terrace also includes eastern and southern gates along with a Victory Gate on its east wall. This Hindu temple is one of the most popular places to see sunset views of Angkor Wat, but Phnom Bakheng was actually built over two centuries prior to Angkor Wat and was once the region’s main temple. Phnom Bakheng stands on top of a steep hill one and a half kilometers northwest of Angkor Wat, and is shaped like a pyramid. This temple has six tiers, and its top level contains five sandstone sanctuaries, but most of the 108 small towers which once stood around Phnom Bakheng have now collapsed. Phnom Bakheng can become very crowded at sunset, and it takes roughly half an hour to climb to the top, an especially dangerous feat after dark. Visitors can ride up and down the hill on elephants for extra fees. Much of this temple remains covered in trees and other jungle plants, which is how Ta Prohm was first unearthed during the 19th century. Ta Prohm has become one of Angkor Archaeological Park’s most popular temples for its beautiful stone and wood structure, and its appearance in the Tomb Raider film starring Angelina Jolie. Ta Prohm is currently being rebuilt and many of the trees and other plants once surrounding the temple have now been removed. Preah Khan is another temple which remains covered by vegetation, and which is even older than Angkor Wat, which lies three kilometers to its south. Preah Khan was not only a temple, but also a city and Buddhist university which once housed nearly 100,000 servants and officials. There were also up to 1,000 teachers and dancers at Preah Khan at one point. A moat surrounds Preah Khan, which also includes a House of Fire, a Hall of Dancers, and a courtyard with two libraries. |
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