Angkor Wat is located 314 km northwest of the capital Phnom Penh. The Angkor Wat temple complex represented the apex of Khmer creativity and splendour of the Khmer Empire. It covers 4000 square kilometres. At the center stands of Angkor Wat, the largest and most famous of all the temples and one of the seven wonder of the world. It symbolises the soul, pride and life of the Khmer people. Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century by King Suryarman ll who reigned from approximately 1113-1150, took 30 Years to complete and is the place where the Khmer kings worship and pray for the protection of his people and kingdom.
The whole Angkor Wat temple complex is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide. During the wet season the water in the moat mirrors the splendid beauty of the complex. The Angkor Wat has only two entrances, the east entrance and the west entrance. Both entrances are guarded on both sides by the statue of Vishnu. When you enter Angkor Wat, you will see a huge and an imposing square column. On all four sides of this huge column are relief sculptures – each one telling you a different story.
The first wall depicts on how the Angkor Empire was built and how the king and his generals planned to fight in battlefields. The second depicts Hindu reincarnation – good deeds in this life will ensure a better life hereafter; similarly an evil life will downgrade oneself in the next. The third wall tells how Vishnu protracted the kingdom and her people. And the last wall shows how the people revered, praised and glorified their god-king. The Bayon Temple is located 3.3 km north of Angkor Wat, within magnificent temple complex Angkor Thom and consists of 54 towers,each with 4 faces. There are a total of 216 smilling faces at the site, all them resembling King Jayavarman VII. Angkor Thom is large Buddhist temple city built at the end 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. Within the Angkor Thom complex include other temples like Baphuon, Elephant tarrace, Phimeanakas, ect. At present, both Angkor and Angkor Thom are situated at an archaeological site called Angkor.
Angkor City was the capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th century. Unfortunatly, in 1431 (recent research put it at 1444) the Siamese captured and sacked Angkor. Temples were destroyed and its inhabitants were driven to the south. From then on Angkor was abandoned and Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom were left to ruin. It was not until 22nd January 1860, that a French explorer (Alexandre Henri Mouhot: 1 2 ) brought Angkor to the World´s attention. He read about Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom in a book titled cial envoy named Chou Ta-Kuan.
At the time of the discovery, there were more than 600 tall temples and other structures at Angkor Wat. Unfortunately, the history of Angkor Wat was sad and sorrowful because it was lost and closed again to the outside world from around 1970 – 80s. At present, the showpiece of Cambodia is once again open. Blessed with peace and a stable government under King Norodom Sihanouk, the people of Cambodia are determined to work hard to regain the glory of their past, symbolized by Angkor Wat. Labels: Angkor