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Angkor Wat
2h · Admission ticket not included
Angkor Wat is The largest religious monument of the world was built in the 12 century by the Khmer king Suryavarman II, dedicate to Hindu god Vishnu but changed to Theravada Buddhist temple in 16 century. Angkor Wat is the most imposing mountain-temple ever built by the Khmer king. It's symbolize of Mount Meru with 5 top sancturies and the moat representing the cosmic ocean, but also its wonderful bas-reliefs, have no equivalent on the Angkor site. In 1585, the Portuguese traveler Diego Do Couto described Angkor Wat: " At half of a league from the city( Angkor Thom ) is a temple called Anga...this temple is such a particular construction that one can hardly describe it with the pen, nor can one compare it to any other building in the world " many centuries later his description still holds true!
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Bayon Temple
1h · Admission ticket not included
Bayon was built by Khmer king Jayavarman VII in late 12 century and early 13 century, dedicated to Mahayana Buddhism, his state temple, at the centre of Angkor Thom, The capital city he turned into a safer heaven by erecting fortified wall around it. He place his kingdom under the protection of Buddha, whose statue was in the central shrine of the temple, and of the Bodhisattva Lokeshvara, whose features are represented on towers of temple, covering the cardinal directions thus extending the compassion of the king and a god he identified with over the entire kingdom.
Others else from the giant smiling faces on the temple towers, you will see bas-relief of people daily life like cooking, kick boxing, cook fighting, a trade deal between Cambodian and Chinese, a women giving child birth...!
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Ta Prohm
1h · Admission ticket not included
Ta Prohm was built by khmer King Jayavarman VII in late 12 century, dedicated to Mahayana Budhism, especially to a goddess Prajnaparamita whos his mother identified. It's temple forest claimed by nature, there are many giant trees growing on the roof of the temple, it got another name after the hollywood made a movie in 2001, called Tomb Raider.
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Banteay Kdei
40m · Admission ticket not included
Banteay Kdei temple built by king Jayavarman VII again! dedicated to Mahayana Buddhism in late 12 century. It's also temple forest, a bit smaller than Ta Prohm but it got trees grow on top as well. most people go to Ta Prohm so making Banteay Kdei less tourist visit temple.
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Pre Rup
40m · Admission ticket not included
Pre Rup was built in 10 century by Khmer king Rajendravarman II, dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. This temple was state temple, Pyramidal temple with five towers built out of bricks.
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Eastern Mebon
40m · Admission ticket not included
The temple erected by Rajendravarman II in 10 century, brick temple, to the memory of his ancestors at the centre of East Baray(water reservoir but it has been dried out). The five sanctuaries were devoted to the main idol Cri Rajendreshvara in the form of a Linga ( The male organ, the symbol of fertility, the energy and strength), to Shiva and Parvati in the likeness of the king's father and mother and to Vishnu and Brahma.
The carving on lintels is amazing well preserved and the 8 elephant statues, each one carved out of a single piece of sandstone about a real Asian elephant size!
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Ta Som
40m · Admission ticket not included
The satellite temple of Preah Khan, built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12 century, Mahayana Buddhist temple, it is featuring serveral representations of Lokeshvara. The temple has two main gates towers by giant heads with 4 smiling faces look to cardinal directions, the east gate is over grown by giant banyon tree.
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Neak Pean
50m · Admission ticket not included
The Mahayana Buddhist temple built by Jayavarman VII ( AKA Jay7). This peaceful site, set in an enchanting environment, will provide a pleasant break during your visit of the Angkor temples.
Neak Pean is the island temple built in the middle of the water reservoir Jayatataka or north Baray of Angkor, the design of this temple is: the artificial island inside the water reservoir, there are 5 ponds are on the island and there is a temple inside the central pond!
Neak Pean symbolizes the mythical lake Anavatapta of Buddhist mythology. The lake is located at the centre of the world, somewhere in the Himalaya, and feeds four sacred rivers: the Indus, the Oxus, the Tarim and the Ganges. The four rivers fertilize the territories populated by, respectively, lions, bulls, horses and elephants. Each of the four chapels connecting the central pond to the satellite basins houses a large size head ( of a king, a lion, a horse and of an elephant). Water from central pond flowed throught their mouths to fill the basins. The central sanctuary stand on top of a circular base symbolizing a giant lotus flower. Two Nagas(serpents) whose bodies run along the base guard its access. In Khmer tradition the nagas are creatures associated with water.
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Preah Khan Temple
1h · Admission ticket not included
Preah Khan is one the large temple of king Jayavarman VII and Angkor, the Buddhist temple built in late 12 century. The temple built on purpose of king's father tomb and for Buddhist learning centre.
Preah Khan offers some of the most beautiful Devatas and pediment carvings, as well as several structures, notably its Hall of dancers and Unique building set on high columns, which are in a relatively good state of preservation. The king's father, identified with Lokeshvara ( the god of compassion and represented to the father of all Buddhas) was venerated in Preah Khan a large city temple surrounded by the moat. On each of the cardinal points a causeway provide access to the temple domain. The causeways featured the row of Devatas (gods) and Asuras (demons) pulling Nagas, which it symbolized of the Hindu's mythology the Churning the ocean of milk.
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Banteay Srei
50m · Admission ticket not included
Banteay Srei was the Hindu temple, dedication in 967 AD. The temple was found by the Brahmin named Yajyanavaraha who were attached to King Rajendravarman II and Jayavarman V.
Banteay Srei mean has often been described as a gem of Khmer temples, it was built in pinkish sandstone with details carvings still in great condition!
Perspective: A visual effect increasing perspective was use at Banteay Srei. The size of the gates progressively diminishes as one walk towards the temple, giving the impression that the temple is farther away than it actually is. The doorways of the central sanctuary are so small ( a little more than one meter ) that even in Angkor times, one surely had to bend one's head to get access to the small cella housing the idol.
