One of the most popular and beautiful tourist attractions in Cambodia is the angkor temples, a stone complex almost swallowed by the humid jungle, not far from the present city of Siem Reap.
Many rave about the beaches and bays of Thailand but in truth these temples in Cambodia They are spectacular, and if you like history and archeology, there is no better destination in this part of the world.
of Angkor
Angkor is a word from Sanskrit, a language of ancient India that is at least 3 years old. Today it is the liturgical language of Hinduism and also appears frequently in Buddhist texts.
The city of Angkor was the capital of the ancient Khmer Empire that flourished between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries and that at one point was a very populated city. It is in a humid and tropical forest, near the city of Siem Reap, in the province of the same name. Are counted thousands of templesThey are not few, and it is impressive to see them emerge from among green pastures and rice fields.
Modern archeology has saved many from their disappearance because in such a humid place and with so much rampant vegetation, the passage of time has been devouring them among branches, roots and leaves. On the other hand, UNESCO has placed the ruins, both of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, under its protection as World Heritage.
More than ten years ago and with the help of satellite images it has been discovered that Angkor was the largest pre-industrial city in the world, with temples and urban areas around, with a water network for the population and to drain the lands in an area where monsoons are the order of the day.
It seems that around the seventeenth century Angkor Wat was still not completely abandoned, as revealed by a Portuguese explorer or Japanese settlements in the area, and that even in the nineteenth century the ruins were known to the local population and were shown to the few Europeans. who were there. And they were so impressive that restoration works began at the beginning of the XNUMXth hand in hand with a group of French people.
The works continued for many decades and it was a huge project, so they just finished at the end of 1993. Did you know that some temples were dismantled stone by stone and reassembled on concrete foundations, for example? The result is admirable and that is why in recent years the number of tourists has grown a lot and hotels and restaurants have begun to appear in the surroundings.
It is estimated that there are two million tourists a year And that's a lot for an ancient Angkor site. Unfortunately the problem has not yet been resolved.
Visit the temples of Angkor
First you should know that you must buy a pass, the Angkor pass, to visit the temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park. You can buy it at the main entrance or on the road to Angkor Wat. There are one-day, three-day and seven-day passes. They are used on consecutive days.
The site open from 5 am to 6 pm But some places have different closing times, so it is convenient to know in advance which temples you do not want to miss and to know their hours before starting. Even, some places have a separate ticket, like Beng Melea or Phnom Kulen.
It's basically about visiting Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bakong, Baksei Chamkrong, Banteay Samre, Bayon Temple, Preah Ko, Terrace of the Elephants, and Phnom Kulen, just to name a few destinations. The area is wide, of kilometers and kilometers, and many are temple complexes more than just a temple.
Angkor Wat It is magnificent and many consider that it is at the height of the Pyramids of Egypt. It is located six kilometers north of the city of Siem Reap and south of Angkor Thom. You can only enter through the western gate.
It was built in the first half of the XNUMXth century and it is estimated that the works lasted three decades. It's a temple dedicated to the god Vishnu y It is the largest temple in the complex and the best preserved. It is believed to be a funerary temple for King Suryavarman III, and is a small size replica of the universe in which the central tower represents the mythical mountain of Meru, in the center of the cosmos. It is huge and you get lost in its halls, galleries, columns, patios and porticoes.
Angkor Thom it was the last capital of the Khmer Empire. It was one fortified city where officers, officials and monks lived. What was made of wood succumbed to time but the stone monuments have remained: among the temples within its walls are the Terrace of the Elephants, Bayon, the terrace of King Leper or Tep Pranam, for example. There is also the Royal Palace.
Bayon is in the center, 1500 meters from the south entrance. It was built in the XNUMXth century and today it is surrounded by dense jungle. It was built a century after Angkor Wat. The tower has two thousand faces carved out of stone, slightly smiling. It does not have a wall around it and consists of three simple levels. Also in Angkor Thom is the Terrace of the Elephants, with statues of animals commanded by princes and servants.
If you visit Angkor Thom entering through the south gate you can stop and meet on the way Baksei Chamkrong. The architecture and decoration of this small temple is beautiful and can be appreciated as you walk around it. You can climb to the Central Sanctuary using the north staircase that dates back to the XNUMXth century. Banteay Samre.
It is a temple that is located about 400 meters east of Baray and it is best to enter from the east. It dates from the mid-XNUMXth century and is dedicated to Vishnu. It is one of the most complete complexes in Angkor and has been very well restored although it lacks some maintenance.
Preah Ko It is in Roluos, between Lolei and Bakong. It was built in the XNUMXth century and is dedicated to Siva. It is a funerary temple for the parents of King Indravarman I, with a square plan with walls and towers. As you can see, I can go on and on naming temples because the complex is huge. Hence, who is wonderful and that in my opinion deserves a previous work before going to meet him, otherwise you run the risk of missing wonderful things.
Sign up for a tour? Maybe not a bad idea. Each temple is special but it may be that after a while they all seem the same to you, as happens when you visit castles, museums or churches, so do some research before you go and write down your favorites.