Angkor Wat
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Reign: Suryavarman II
Date: Early 12th century,
Style: Angkor Wat
Religion: Hinduism
Highlights: The world's largest religious monument, a completely realized
microcosm of Hindu universe, culminating in the five peaks of Mount Meru,
architectural masterpiece in fine proportions and rich in detail, the apogee
of classical Khmer construction and some 600 m of narrative bas-relief
and nearly 2,000 apsaras (dancers from heaven).
Angkor Wat, meaning the city which became a pagoda, was not only the grandest
and most sublime of all the Khmer temples, but also a city in its own right.
Both were built as the capital of King Suryavarumann II and the State Temple
dedicated to Vishnu. The temple was also a tomb where the King was buried.
It was based on the thought, Devaraja that kings would be unified with
God after his death. Sacred power of Devaraja i.e. god-kings was associated
with the Hindu gods - Indra and Vishnu. |
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Prasat Kravan
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Reign: Harshavarman I
Date: Early 10th century
Style: Bakheng to Koh Ker
Religion: Hinduism,
Highlights: Unique brick bas-reliefs & Unusual layout of 5 brick towers
in one row.
This temple was dedicated to Vishnu. The appearance is simple, but you
can enjoy interior fine brick bas-reliefs, especially Vishnu on Garuda
and Vishnu Crossing the Ocean (central sanctuary), and Lakshmit and attendants
(north sanctuary). Kravan is a name of flower with good aroma. |
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Bat Chum
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Reign: Rajendravarman
Date: Middle of the 10th century
Style: Pre Rup
Religion: Buddhism
Highlights: Stone lions and interesting inscriptions.
This temple with three brick towers facing all east was built by an architect,
Kavindrarimathana, who also built the temple of East Mebon, etc. and the
only Khmer architect whose name is known to us. This temple was build on
his own behalf and dedicated in 921, shortly before his death. Inscriptions
on the wall of each tower are poems, all praising the architect. |
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Srah Srang
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Reign: Rajendravarman, then Jayavarman VII
Date: Mid 10th century and late 12th or early 13th century
Style: Bayon
Religion: Buddhism
Highlights: Wide, tranquil vista from the platform such as the landing
stage with guardian lions and Naga balustrades.
The small baray of Srah Srang (Royal bath) has retained its water for more
than nine centuries and offers a beautiful, tranquil resting place. The
view from the terrace over the water is beautiful. Discovery of a few stones
in the center of the lake suggests that at one time there was a small Mebon-like
sanctuary. |
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Banteay Kdei
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Reign: Jayavarman VII
Date: Late 12th century
Style: Bayon
Religion: Buddhism
Highlights: Ruined state appears much as discovered, face-tower of the
east outer gopura, gopura III, (east) with its seated Buddha, devote (second
enclosure), dancing apsaras on a column in the Hall of Dancers, devata
on the wall of the south east corner tower.
Originally this was built as a Hindu temple, and later remodeled as a Buddhist
one. It is enclosed by four-layer walls often seen in the Bayon style.
The most outer enclosure is ca.700m X ca.500m |
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Ta Prohm
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Reign: Jayavarman VII, enlarged by Indravarman II
Date: Late 12th to 13th centuries
Style: Bayon
Religion: Buddhism
Highlights: Romantic atmosphere with opportunities to explore, many hidden
corners, beautiful figures of Devatas, reliefs of Naga on the surrounding
walls and silk-cotton trees entwined among ruins.
Originally this was built as a Hindu temple dedicating to the mother of
Jayavarman VII and later reformed as a Buddhist one. It is enclosed by
four-layer laterite walls often seen in the Bayon style. The most outer
enclosure is ca.700m X ca.500m This temple is not repaired or restored
by removing trees or restacking stones in order to show natural power clear.
The naturally collapsed state of this temple and its uncanny atmosphere
attract people's mind. |
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Ta Keo
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Reign: Jayavarman V and Jayaviravarman I
Date: Late 10th to 11th centuries
Style: Khleang
Religion: Hinduism
Highlights: State temple of Jayavarman V, the five massive towers on top
of the imposing temple mountain construction
Jayavarman V began to build this temple, but it was stopped due to his
sudden death. So the incomplete state tells us the way of carving after
stacking stones. This temple has five massive tower with sub-sanctuaries
in four directions. The combination of pyramid style temple and cloister
around it was new in those days. |
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| Thommanon |
Reign: Suryavarman II
Date: Early 12th century
Style: Angkor Wat
Religion: Hinduism
Highlights: Compact temple in the style of Angkor Wat, well-preserved and
in an attractive setting, fine relief carvings, particularly the devatas
and unique relief that Naga comes out of the mouth of Macara, Garuda comes
out of the Naga, and Vishnu out of the Garuda.
This temple has compact flat-type layout, but looks elegant. It was completely
restored in the 1960s. |
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Victory Gate
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Reign: Jayavarman VII
Date: Early 13th century
Style: Bayon
Highlights: Gate with face tower
This is one of the gates of the Angkor Thom. It is said that soldiers who
won the war with the neighbor country Champa passed through this gate in
the reign of Jayavarman VII. The king celebrated the victory and built
the central sanctuary, Bayon.
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Elephant Terrace
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Reign: Jayavarman VII and added by Jayavarman VIII
Date: Late 12th century, partly added in late 13th century
Style: Bayon
Religion: -
Highlights: Bas-reliefs of hunting scenes with elephants and hidden deep
relief of five headed horse.
This is the terrace at the heart of Angkor Thom, where royal family reviewed
troops. The carvings of elephants along its walls are worthwhile seeing
as well those of lotus flowers. |
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Phimianakas
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Reign: Jayavarman V and Udayadityavarman I
Date: Late 10th to early 11th centuries
Style: Khleang
Religion: -
Highlights: State temple of Suryavarman I
This temple was built inside the surrounding wall of the royal palace.
It is pyramid-style building of which construction is three-layered laterite
platform, and small sanctuaries are placed thereon. |
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Baphuon
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Reign: Udayadityavarman II
Date: Middle of the 11th century
Style: Bayon
Religion: Hinduism
Highlights: State temple of Yasodharapura in the 11th century, bas-reliefs
in small individual panels, aerial stone-paved approach (200m) and view
from the summit.
This state temple is enormous temple-mountain partly collapsed. Its height
is said once higher than that of the Bayon temple. |
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Bayon
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Reign: Jayavarman VII to Jayavarman VIII
Date: Late 12th to late 13th centuries, probably started construction in
about 1200.
Style: Bayon
Religion: Buddhism
Highlights: The complex of face towers, narrative bas-reliefs of daily
life and Khmer history, and state temple of Jayavarman VII, symbolic center
of the universe and empire.
Bayon is famous for motifs of Avalokiteshvara smiling calmly. It has mass
of face towers to create a stone mountain of ascending peaks. The number
of face towers is said 40 or 54, but now only 37 are standing. Most are
carved with four faces on each cardinal point but sometimes there are only
three or even just two. |
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South Gate
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Reign: Jayavarman VII
Date: 12th century
Style: Bayon
Highlights: Gate with 4-face tower and statues on the both sides of approach.
This is one of the gates of the Angkor Thom. If you pass through this gate,
you will reach the Bayon temple. A 4-face tower is placed on this gate.
On one side of the approach statues of gods drawing the body of Naga are
aligned and on another side statues of Asura. |
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Baksei Chamkrong
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Reign: Harshavarman, restored by Rajendravarman
Date: Early and middle 10th century
Style: Bakheng to Kohr Ker
Religion: Hinduism
Highlights: The only pyramid temple at Angkor that was not a state temple.
This small, elegant pyramid temple is dedicated to Harshavarman I. A single
brick tower on a stepped pyramid of laterite was built to house statues
of Shivas and his spouse Devi. |
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Phnom Bakheng
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Reign: Yasovarman I
Date: Late 9th to early 10th century
Style: Bakheng
Religion: Hinduism
Highlights: State temple of the first capital at Angkor and spectacular
views, particularly of Angkor Wat
Here was Yasovarman I's capital called Yasodharapura. He moved his capital
from Roluos, 13km southeast of Siem Reap to this place. Later built Angkor
Thom is smaller than this city. Its center was on the hill of Phnom Bakheng.
The perpendicular approach utilizing 60m-high natural hill reaches square
terraces surrounded by subsidiary sanctuary towers and pyramid style ruin.
Phnom Bakheng is seen at its back. This temple resembles Borobudur ruins
of Indonesia in shape or figure. Lots of tourists come to see views from
four directions and sunrise and sunset from the summit. |
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Ta Prohm Kel
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Reign: Jayavarman VII
Date: 1186
Style: Bayon
Religion: Buddhism
Highlights: Bayon style decoration.
This small ruined sandstone monument was one of the 102 chapels added to
hospitals, some of which were already in existence, by Jayavarman VII all
over the empire. The sanctuary, with its now collapsed tower, opened to
east and had false doors on the other three sides.
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Reference:
- ANCIENT ANGKOR by Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques, River Books Ltd.
- Chikyuno Arukikata (Globe Trotter Travel Guidebook), Diamond Inc.(http://book.diamond.co.jp/arukikata/)
- Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide (www.canbypublications.com) |
English