Three days at the Angkor Temples - written by Anne

We are in awe at the temples built in the ancient Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom, not just the building complex itself (1,300m x 1,500m for Angkor Wat & 3km sq for Angkor Thom), but the immense size & attention to detail in these wats.  We marvel at how the engineers, architects, logistical people etc of the day managed to plan & co-ordinate the build of these immense structures in a period where there was no paper & pen available.  The great slabs of sandstone alone needed to be transported 50km from a mountain quarry to the complex (probably via river & elephant transportation), then chiselled into smaller building blocks and man-handled into place before the intricate carving began portraying the great gods of their time, and telling their fables/myths (Churning of the Ocean Milk, scenes from Heaven & Hell) that relate to their beliefs and those they worship.  We were told that a mistake on the carving was punishable by death!

There is so much symbolism in their artwork (carving) - everything seems to have a meaning behind it and the placement of where the sculptures are positioned is of utmost importance.  Interestingly Angkor Wat was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu (the protector) when building commenced in early-mid 12th century, whilst by the late 12th century when the Angkor Thom build began the new King had converted its people to Buddhism.

My favourite temple was Bayon (in Angkor Thom), it originally had over 200 giant stone faces (to me they all look like they are smiling).  We also visited many other temples, including the kids favourite - La Prohm (where Tombraider was filmed), Bantreay Srei and others.

 

I find it hard to believe that the world in general was unaware of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, it was only in the 1990's that the public were allowed to visit (& alas the Monks were banished to pray in another temple so as to make room for the tourists) because that was when international flights were safely allowed to enter into Cambodia.  I am also surprised in recent history that the religious complex was never bombed or destroyed by the enemy during both the Indochina wars of last century, nor by the Khmer Rouge during the reign of Pol Pot in the late 70's - (but as our guide mentioned the soldiers were too busy killing people and had no time to destroy temples).  There has however been a lot of looting in the past decades as the heads from the gods and other sculptures fetch a good price on the black market.

This has been an experience that I will remember for my lifetime. 

ANGKOR WAT PHOTOS

 

 

 

ANGKOT THOM PHOTOS