Siem Reap is the capital of the province of the same name and is located on the banks of the river of the same name. This is a small town with a population of 10,000 people, almost all of whose inhabitants are engaged in servicing tourists who come to see the temple complex of Angkor – the symbol and soul of Cambodia.
Angkor, the ancient capital of Cambodia, is the country’s most impressive landmark. Angkor includes a complex of temples, palaces, reservoirs and diversion channels. The Old City is located 6 km from Siem Reap, north of Tonle Sap Lake. In the X-XII centuries, Angkor was probably one of the largest cities in the world. However, after the troops of neighboring Siam captured and destroyed the city in 1431, the inhabitants left it, and it fell into the power of the jungle, which hid it from people for many years. Time and the jungle did not spare the wooden buildings, but palaces and temples, despite the destruction, managed to withstand the jungle and simply shocked European researchers who first saw them in the middle of the 19th century.
The remains of Angkor occupy an area of about 200 square meters. km. In Angkor, you can see the ruins of the capitals of Yashodharapur (founded at the end of the 9th century) and Angkor Thom (the end of the 12th-13th centuries), stone terraces – the plinths of wooden palaces, Brahminist and Buddhist “temple-mountains” in the form of stepped pyramids and extensive temples. ensembles – in total, about 100 palaces and temples have been preserved here.
According to TOP-MEDICAL-SCHOOLS, the largest ensemble is Angkor Wat. It was built in 1112 – 1152. and is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Angkor Wat is the largest religious building in the world. Angkor Wat has survived much better than many other buildings of Angkor, which is explained by the fact that even after the desolation of these places, Buddhist monks lived in Angkor Wat. They live here and now. The complex is distinguished by the geometric rigor of the plan and the harmony of the composition.
The second symbol of Angkor is the Bayon temple with giant stone sculptures of Buddha’s faces. The Bayon is decorated with 53 square towers, on each side of which the face of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is depicted, and in such a way that wherever you are, these faces “look” at you. Not far from Bayon is Elephant Terrace., from which the Khmer kings watched the ceremonies on the main square of Angkor Thom, lying in front of the palace. The terrace is decorated with numerous bas-reliefs, very well preserved, depicting deities, battle scenes and elephants.
Terrace of the Leper King got its name from the statue of the leper king on the platform. Now there is a copy here, and the original is in the national museum in Phnom Penh. The name of the leper king is shrouded in mystery. The theory that he was Jayavarman VII and that is why he built many hospitals did not find historical support. Some historians claim that the statue depicts Kabera, the god of wealth, or Yasovarman I, both of whom were supposedly lepers. Another version is that the statue got its name because of the lichen that grows on it.
Angkor Thom Temple is located 1.7 km north of Angkor Wat. This is the central part of the city. The name “Angkor Thom” means “Big City”. Angkor Thom was built between 1181-1210. after Angkor was taken and plundered by the Chams in 1181. Ta Keo (Ta Keo) – one of the largest and tallest buildings in the temple-mountain style. Its construction was not completed. Had Ta Keo been completed it would have been one of the finest temples in Angkor. The temple is 32 meters high. The lack of decoration gives it purity and freshness. Ta Keo is an exact copy of the sacred Mount Meru, with a rectangular base and five square towers.
The temple of Ta Prohm (Ta Prohm) was not specially cleared of the jungle and appears in the form in which the French saw it. Towers, literally torn apart by tree trunks, statues of gods entwined with branches of lianas, and roofs of galleries, crushed under the weight of huge roots – this is what this temple looks like today.
Preah Neak Pean Temple has an interesting composition: around a large square pool there are four much smaller pools, strictly oriented to the cardinal points. In the center of the main pool on an artificial island is a small temple, and next to it is a statue of an animal in the spirit of Salvador Dali.
Eastern and Western reservoirs (Baray) are artificial reservoirs, striking in their size (7 km by 1.8 km and 8 km by 2.3 km, respectively). They were dug to supply the city with water during the dry season. Both bodies of water were fed by the water of the Siem Reap River. flowing through Angkor. In the middle of each of these reservoirs is an artificial island, on which rises a small temple – Mebon. At present, only a small part of the Western reservoir is filled with water, the Eastern reservoir is absolutely dry.
To study in detail the temples of Angkor, it is advisable to take a week and inspect 2-3 temples a day. If you do not have such time, then you can simply wander around the territory and admire their impressive architecture.
Angkor can be visited at any time of the year, however, the most favorable time is from November to March, when the dry season lasts in the country. In the morning it is better to go out early and look around until 11 o’clock, and in the afternoon – not earlier than 3 – 4, since most of the monuments look worse against the light. A very beautiful sight is the sunset at the temple of Angkor Wat.
Depending on how much time you plan to spend in Angkor, you can recommend the following routes to visit it.
One day, morning.
Angkor Wat, Bayon, Small Circle Temples (Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, Ta Nei, Ta Keo, Ta Phrom).
One day, evening.
Bayon, Small Circle Temples (Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, Ta Nei, Ta Keo, Ta Phrom), Ta Prohm Temple (west to east), Srah Srang Terrace, Angkor Wat.
One day.
Morning: Great Circle Temples (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Sra Srang, Angkor Wat East Entrance). The length of the route is 37 km.
Evening: Bayon, Small Circle Temples (Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, Ta Nei, Ta Keo, Ta Phrom), Ta Prohm Temple (west to east), Srah Srang Terrace, Angkor Wat. The length of the route is 30 km.
Two days.
First day.
Morning: Bayon, Leper King’s Terrace, Tep Pranam, Prah Palilay, Royal Palace, Baphuon. The length of the route is 20 km.
In the evening: a small circle around the Royal Palace, the Victory Gate (the Victory Gate), Ta Prohm (from west to east), Banteay Kdei, Srah Srang terrace and possibly Phnom Bakheng. Length – 27 or 32 km.
Second day.
Morning: Great Circle Temples (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Sra Srang, Angkor Wat East Entrance) visiting Pre Rup, Banteay Samre, Neak Pean, Prah Khan (east to west). Length – 46 km.
In the evening – Angkor Wat. Length – 12 km.
Three days.
First day.
Morning: Bayon, Leper King’s Terrace, Tep Pranam, Prah Palilay, Royal Palace, the Baphuon. Length – 20 km.
Evening: Kleang and Prah Pithu, the Victory Gate, Thommanon, Chau Say, Takeo, Phnom Bakheng on the way back. Length – 26 km.
Second day.
Morning: Great Circle Temples (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Sra Srang, Angkor Wat East Entrance) visiting Pre Rup, Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Prah Khan (east to west). Length – 37 km.
Evening: Prasat Kravan, Ta Prohm (west to east), Banteay Kdei (west to east), Srah Srang Terrace. Length – 26 km.
Third day.
Morning: Banteay Samre, Banteay Srei. Length – 70 km.
Evening: Angkor Wat. Length – 12 km.
Four days.
First day.
Morning: Bayon, Leper King’s Terrace, Tep Pranam, Prah Palilay, Royal Palace. Length – 20 km.
Evening: Baphuon, Kleang and Prah Pithu, the Victory Gate, Thommanon, Chau Say, Phnom Bakheng on the way back. Length – 24 km.
Second day.
Morning: Takeo, Ta Prohm (West to East), Banteay Kdei (West to East), Srah Srang Terrace, Prasat Kravan. Length – 28 km.
Evening: Angkor Wat. Length – 12 km.
Third day.
Morning: Great Circle temples (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Sra Srang, Angkor Wat east entrance) visiting Pre Rup, Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Prah Khan (east to west). Length – 37 km.
Evening: Siem Reap River Phnom Krom. Length – 25 km.
Fourth day.
Morning: Banteay Samre, Banteay Srei. Length – 70 km.
Evening: Bakong, Prah Ko, West Baray. Length – 54 km.
Five days.
First day.
Morning: Bayon, Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King, Tep Pranam, Prah Palilay, Royal Palace. Length – 20 km.
Evening: The Baphuon, Kleang and Prah Pithu, the Victory Gate, Thommanon, Chau Say. Length – 24 km.
Second day.
Morning: Takeo, Ta Prohm (west to east), Banteay Kdei (west to east), Srah Srang Terrace, Prasat Kravan. Length – 28 km.
Evening: Bayon, Phnom Bakheng.
Third day.
Morning: Great Circle temples (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Sra Srang, Angkor Wat east entrance) visiting Pre Rup, Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Prah Khan (east to west). Length – 37 km.
Evening: Angkor Wat. Length – 12 km.
Fourth day.
Morning: Banteay Samre, Banteay Srei. Length – 70 km.
Evening: Siem Reap River, Phnom Krom. Length – 25 km.
Fifth day.
Morning: Bakong, Prah Ko and possibly Lolei. Length – 28 or 30 km.
Evening: Angkor Wat, West Baray. Length – 38 km.
Six days or more.
When traveling for six or more days, you can add a visit to the second most important temples to the main monuments. You can also take a day trip to Beng Mealea Temple, located deep in the jungle.
