Khmer Angkor Driver>>Mini Tuors

Angkor Wat Angkor Wat is a spectacular temple in southwest Cambodia, built by the vanished Khmer empire. It was constructed during the reign of king Suryavarman II, who ruled from 1113 to at least 1145. In those days, it was customary for the Khmer Empire to maintain a state temple at the heart of the city. However, when Suryavarman assumed power, the existing Baphuon state temple was dedicated to Shiva. Suryavarman worshiped Vishnu, and wished to honor him with a new temple south of the existing capital. This new state temple came to be called Angkor Wat, meaning "The city that is a temple." The land occupied by the temple measures 1300 meters north-south, and 1500 meters east-west. Unlike other Khmer temples, the entrance faces west toward Vishnu. A person entering the temple first approaches an entrance causeway that takes him across the 200 meter wide moat. On the opposite shore is an entrance pavilion measuring 230 meters north-south. Its central bays have three passages that elephants could fit through for royal processions. Past the entrance gate is a long causeway that runs for over 300 meters, decorated with mythical snake-like animals called naga. On either side are isolated buildings called "libraries" though their true function is unknown (image 7). Near the temple are two small pools. The actual temple sits on a sandstone plinth a meter above the ground. Its perimeter is decorated with naga balustrades (image 18, foreground). The outer wall of the temple is called the "first enclosure," and sits on a plinth 3.3 meters high. A continuous gallery runs along the outside face of the wall (image 16). The inner face is decorated with 700 meters of continuous bas reliefs. Just to the east of the west gate of the first enclosure is a series of four rooms arranged in a cruciform(images 22-24). Each room is surrounded by a continuous gallery and has a sunken floor where ponds used to be. The southern arm of the cross was once called the "Gallery of a thousand Buddhas" because until very recently, the Khmer faithful left Buddha statues here. Most of these were destroyed during the recent civil war. North and south of the "western cruciform" are two more "libraries." The second enclosure rests on a base 5.8 meters high. It is linked to the Western Cruciform by a series of stairs. Inside this courtyard are still more "libraries," smaller than the previous ones. The inner enclosure rests on a two-tiered pyramid 11 meters tall. The stairs are extremely steep (see image 31). The upper terrace has a continuous gallery that encloses an inner cruciform of four rooms. Five towers jut from the upper tier in a quincunx arrangement (like five dots on a pair of dice). The cruciform used to contain a number of separate shrines, but they look like passageways now since the wooden doors are gone. The central tower is 65 meters above ground level.

Angkor Thom Angkor Thom is quadrangle of defensive walls totaling 12 kilometers that once protected the Khmer capital of the same name (Angkor Thom means "Great City"). Built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII, the walls are divided by two axes running north-south and east-west. A gateway lies at the end of each axis, four in total, facing the four cardinal directions. An additional gate, called the "Gate of Victory", pierces the east wall just north of the "Gate of the Dead", the east gate along the central axis. The significance of the additional gate is that it provided access to a terrace of the royal palace. As for the other gates, the two axes intersect at the center of the enclosed area where the Bayon temple sits. The south gate of Angkor Thom is the best preserved. It is approached from outside via a causeway that extends about fifty meters across a moat. On each side of the causeway are railings fashioned with 54 stone figures engaged in the performance of a famous Hindu story: the myth of the Churning of the Ocean. On the left side of the moat, 54 'devas' (guardian gods) pull the head of the snake 'Shesha' while on the right side 54 'asuras' (demon gods) pull the snake's tail in the opposite direction. In this myth, the body of the snake is wrapped around the central mountain—Mt. Meru—perhaps corresponding here to the Bayon temple at the center of the site. In any case, the myth relates that as the Devas pulled the snake in one direction and the gods pushed in the other, the ocean began to churn and precipitate the elements. By alternating back and forth, the ocean was "milked", forming the earth and the cosmos anew. The central tower of the stone gate is capped by three face-towers that face the four directions (the central tower faces both out and in). Below them at the base of the gate are two sets of elephant statues that flank the entrance on both sides. Sitting on each elephant is a figure of the god Indra carrying his usual weapon—the 'vadra' (a lightning bolt). The gate itself is shaped like an upside-down "U" and is corbelled at the top (instead of arches, the builders of Angkor preferred to use corbelling to span distances). It is still possible to see where wooden doors once fitted to the gate through openings in the stone. There is some debate as to the functionality of Angkor Thom as a whole. If it was a wall intended for defense, it was rather poorly designed, since there is nowhere along the wall for defenders to take refuge from incoming fire or shoot back from a shielded location. This is surprising since Angkor had been sacked in 1177 by Champa invaders, and one can readily imagine that its new King, Jayavarman VII would have been concerned with defense should the invaders return. If not intended for defense, the walls may simply have been an additional enclosure around the Bayon temple, more for ceremony than for practical use. As in Southern India, the Angkor rulers built temples surrounded by walls, but usually not with walls as thick and grand as those of Angkor Thom.

Banteay Kdei Banteay Kdei is a mysterious temple. There is no record of why it was built—or by whom—because no marker stone with that information has ever been found. Its name means "The citadel of the monks' cells", but that does not necessarily indicate its function. What is known is that Banteay Kdei grew by amalgamation from a small site to a large central temple with its own enclosure wall that protected a large city.

Bapuon In the 1920s, the Bapuon, originally a 43-meter tall, three tiered pyramid representing the mythical Mount Meru, suffered a series of collapses. In 1943, half the north face of the second and third tiers also suddenly crumbled. In the 1950s, Royere's Paris-based oriental studies institute, Ecole Francais d'Extreme Orient, decided to dismantle large parts of the Bapuon stone by stone to make essential internal structural repairs. By 1971, some 300,000 stones had been removed and carefully placed in the jungle face down to hide magnificent base relief carving from plunderers. But then disaster struck. War came to Angkor and the restorers were forced to leave. The following year, another major collapse occurred, wiping out the northwest quadrant of the two upper tiers. Worse, in 1975, the detailed records the team had kept of where the stones fitted disappeared in the chaos of the Khmer Rouge takeover. From then on, assembling the Bapoun would be like doing a massive jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box. The French returned in 1992 after Angkor was declared a UNESCO world heritage site and they have used every means at their disposal, including massive construction cranes and a computerized three-dimensional mapping of each stone, to securely rebuild what their predecessors and time took down. Crucial to any lasting restoration has been the insertion of an internal drainage system which the original builders in the reign of King Udayadityavarman 11 ( 1050-65 ) failed to see the need for. This is mainly why the Bapuon failed to survive the ravages of the elements as well as Angkor Wat, the Bayon and so many other temples including Ta Prom. The French team now believe they are on target to finish the reconstruction job by 2004. For visitors to Angkor, that date cannot come soon. Apart from its exquisite bias relief, the Bapuon has another unique attraction. Though built as a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, it was continually modified over the years and in the late 15th century, after Buddhism had reached Angkor, a massive reclining Buddha figure was constructed on the western face of the pyramid. Royere describes it as "no doubt the greatest exercise in recycling ever undertaken on an Angkor monument." That Buddha image, one of the largest of its kind in the world, has mostly survived the Bapuon decline and fall. Soon the Bapuon will once again stand alongside Angkor Thom as one of Southeast Asia's most magnificent archeological treasures.

Bayon

Bayon was the state temple of Jayavarman VII, a powerful ruler in the late 13th century. The temple sat at the center of Angkor Thom, a walled city that served as the capital of the Khmer Empire. Four of the city's five gates sat on axis with the temple, and the walls of the city substituted for the enclosure walls normally found at Khmer temples. The walls sit at such a distance from the temple that the temple seems to rise abruptly from the ground like an artificial mountain. In fact, the temple was intended to evoke the form of Mt. Meru--the cosmic mountain at the center of the world in Buddhist cosmology. In keeping with this cosmic symbolism, the plan of the temple is based on a "yantra", a symbol used by Tantric Buddhists as the basis of mandala diagrams that represent the layout of the universe. The temple honored not just one deity, but a host of gods found throughout the Khmer empire. Its central shrine held an image of Jayavarman VII, who perhaps imagined himself as a god-King ruling in the name of the Buddha.

The temple is best known today for the gigantic face sculptures that adorn its thirty-seven surviving towers. Facing in four directions on each tower, the faces are thought to represent Lokeshvara, a Buddhist deity that projected benevolence outward to the four directions.

Royal Terraces When Jayavarman VII became king in 1181, he moved into the palace of his predecessor, king Suryavarman I. The palace sat at the center of the northern half of Angkor Thom, east of Phimeanakas temple and directly west of the eastern Baray. Jayavarman VII expanded the palace with several terraces to the east. The first, called the Elephant Terrace because of its decoration, was over 300 meters long. It probably served as the foundation for the King's main apartments, which have not survived because they were made of wood. A 13th century account says they were covered with lead tiles, and indeed, some tiles have been found alongside the terraces. North of the Elephant terrace is the "Terrace of the Leper King." Its name derives from a misconception that one of the Yama statues depicts a legendary king who suffered from leprosy. Actually, the appearance of leprosy is an illusion caused by the lichen eating away at the surface of the stone. The terrace is sculpted with seven rows of divine characters, and was probably used for royal cremations. Twelve stone towers face the terraces to the east. Called "Prasats Suor Prat," they are made of laterite and were probably built sometime after Jayavarman VII's reign.

Chau Say Tevoda Chau Say Tevoda : Two symmetrical shrines, Thom Manon and Chau Say _ alike in design and structure and twins also in ruin. Chau Say Tevoda is located in east of the Gate of Victory of Angkor Thom, across the road south from Thommanon, 500metres (1,640feet) off the road. A enter and leave Chau Say Tevoda by the north entrance. It was built in the end of the 11th century-first half of the 12th century by king Suryavarman II in Hindu with following Angkor Wat style art. Background : Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon are two small monuments close together (on the left and right sides of the road) and similar in plan and style. Although the precise dates of these monuments are unknown, they belong to the best period of classic art stylistically and represent two variations of a single theme of composition. Chau Say Tevoda has deteriorated more than Thommanon. Layout : Chau Say Tevoda is rectangular in plan, with a Central Sanctuary opening to east, an enclosing wall with an entry tower in the middle of the enclosing wall at the east entrance. Walking towards the ten\mple one can see traces of a moat and vestiges of a laterite base of an enclosing wall. Entry Towers : The entry towers (1) are mostly demolished except for traces of the bases and stair ways with sculpted steps. A raised causeway (3) on three rows of octagonal supports (later than the monument) and a terrace link the east entry tower to a nearby river to the east. Pediments : At the south of the passage a scene depicts the combat of Sugriva and Vali, at the north of the passage (East Side) the reliefs include monkeys, Siva and Parvati on a bull, and apsaras. Central Sanctuary : A long room with a porch (4) precedes the square Central Sanctuary (5) connecting it with the east entry tower by a passage raised on three rows of columns of which only traces remain. This long room is covered with a pattern of flowers inscribed in squares and sculpted with stone flowers such as are seen at Banteay Srei and Baphuon. The three false doors of the Central Sanctuary are decorated with foliage and columns with diamond-shaped patterns (lozenges) and flowers (on the left); human figures accentuate some of the bands of foliage in the columns.

Thommanon Thommanon is a small temple built at the end of Suryavarman II's reign, around the middle of the 12th century. It is nearly symmetrical to Chau Say Tevoda, another of Suryavarman's temples that stands nearby. Although the placement of Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda neatly frame the east causeway to the Angkor Thom complex, this was probably not the original intention, since in Suryavarman's time the center of the capital was closer to Angkor Wat. Thommanon is architecturally more advanced than its predecessors. The designers took advantage of the natural qualities of sandstone, rather than simply carving it in imitation of wood.

Ta Keo The majestic ziggurat of Ta Keo, most enigmatic of the minor fanes, stepping up toward the sun with dignity and power suggestive of Angkor vat. It is dripping with green and crowned with trees, but is still supreme over the forest. Its rocky masses, rising above the tops of the coconut palms, convert the impression that it only recently emerged from some cavern underground, carrying the forest with it in its rocketing ascent.  Ta Keo's lack of ornament makes it distinctive among the works of the Khmer, who were so prodigal of decoration. But its very simplicity give it architectural importance, its plan shows the development of anew spirit in the people, the growth of good taste. Location : Ta Keo is locate in the east of Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda. A enter and leave by the south or east entrances. Tip: The ascent to this temple is step and because of its orientation a visit in the morning is preferable. It was built in the end of the tenth century to early 11th century by the King Jayavarman V to Suryavarman I dedicated to Siva (Hindu), replica to Kleang style of art. Background : An unusual aspect of this temple is that it remains unfinished; the reason for its no completion is unknown. Had it been finished, Ta Keo would undoubtedly have been one of the finest temples at Angkor. It is an imposing sight, scaling 22 meters (72feet) to the sky, and gives an impression of power. Ta Keo is the first temple built entirely in sandstone and as such serves as a milestone in Khmer history. Enormous blocks of stone were cut to a regular size and placed in position. The absence of decoration at ta Keo gives it a simplicity of design that separates it from the other monuments. Layout : Ta Keo is square in Plan with five towers arranged like the dots on the face of a die and stands majestically on a terrace that is 12 meters (39 feet) high with three tiers. It is a representation of Mount Meru. The base has fine molding. The temple has two enclosures (1 and 2) with entry towers on each side. There are inscription on the pilasters of the east entry tower (3). The first two tiers of the platform form the base of two courtyards. One is enclosed by a wall the other by a gallery, the gallery is too narrow to permit walking around. The east entrance to Ta Keo is marked by a causeway over a moat that is preceded by lions and boundary stones ( not shown on the plan ). The entry tower in the exterior wall was made of sandstone with a central tower and three passages. On each side of the east wall there was a long hall (4) that was probably a shelter for pilgrims. It was preceded by a porch with pillars (5). The second terrace has a molded laterite base with four sandstone entry towers, one on each side. It is surrounded by a sandstone gallery lit by windows on the in terrier. The gallery completely surrounds the terrace and has openings on each of the four sides. On the east there are two long halls (6) of the same type as the rest halls on the first terrace. Two libraries (7) open to the west. Central Area : The upper level is square and stands on a tiered base with stairways on each side> Most of the space on the upper level is occupied by the five tower, all unfinished, opening to the four cardinal points. The Central Sanctuary (8) dominates the layout. It is raised above the other towers and is given further importance by the development of porches and pediments. The interior of the central tower is undecorated

Ta Prohm Ta Prohm's state of ruin is a state of beauty, which is investigated with delight and left with regret. Location : Ta Prohm is locating southwest of the East Mebon and east of Angkor Thom. Its outer enclosure is near the corner of Banteay Kdei. Access: Enter the monument from the west and leave from the east entrance. Tip : Ta Prohm is especially serene and beautiful in the early morning. A torch and a compass are useful for visiting this temple at all times. It was built about mid-12th century to early 13th century (1186) by the King Jayavarman VII, dedicated to the mother of the king (Buddhist) replica to Bayon style of art.  Background : Ta Prohm is the undisputed capital of the kingdom of the Trees'. It has been left untouched by archaeologists except for the clearing of a path for visitors and structural strengthening to stave of further deterioration. Because of its natural state, it is possible to experience at this temple the wonder of the early explorers when they came upon these monuments in the middle of the nineteenth century. Shrouded in dense jungle the temple of Ta Prohm is ethereal in aspect and conjures up a romantic aura. Fig, banyan and kapok trees spread their gigantic roots over stones, probing walls and terraces apart, as their branches and leaves intertwine to form a roof over the structures. Trunks of trees twist amongst stone pillars. The strange, haunted charm of the place entwines itself about you as you go, as inescapably as the roots have wound themselves about the walls and towers', wrote a visitor 40 years ago. A Sanskrit inscription on stone, still in place, give details of the temple. Ta Prohm 3,140 villages. It took 79,365 people to maintain the temple including 18 great priests, 2,740 officials, 2,202 assistants and 615 dancers. Among the property belonging to the temple was a set of golden dishes weighing more than 500 kilograms, 35 diamonds, 40,620 pearls, 4,540 precious stones, 876 veils from China, 512 silk beds and 523 parasols. Even considering that these numbers were probably exaggerated to glorify the king, Ta Prohm must have been an important and impressive monument. Layout : Ta Prohm is among the largest of the monuments in the Angkor complex, the in scrimption gives an idea of the size of the temple. The complex included 260 statues of gods, 39 towers with pinnacles and 566 groups of residences. Ta Prohm comprises a series of long low buildings standing on one level, which are enclosed by rectangular laterite wall (600 by 1,000 meters, 1,959 by 3,281 feet). Only traces of the wall are still visible. The center of the monument is reached by a series of towers connected with passages. This arrangement forms a ' sort of sacred way into the heart of the monument’; three-square galleries enclose the area. Tip : Some areas of the temple are impassable and others are accessible only by narrow dark passages. It is recommended to follow the plan with a route and landmarks indicted or to stay with a guide to avoid getting lost. The boundaries of the exterior wall are recognizable on the west by a stone entry tower in the shape of a cross, with an upper portion in the form of four faces, one looking towards each of the cardinal points (not shown on the plan). The approach to the west entrance of the temple is a path through the forest. After about 350 meters (1,148 feet) there is a stone terrace in the shape of a cross. Remains of lions, serpent balustrades and mythical creatures lie scattered in the area. Walk across the terrace to the vestibule of the enclosing wall. The view from this point is spectacular. Every here around you, you see nature n this dual role of destroyer and consoler; strangling on the one hand, and healing on the other; no sooner splitting the carved stones asunder than she dresses their wounds with cool, velvety mosses, and binds them with her most delicate tendrils; a conflict of moods so contradictory and feminine as to prove once more if proof were needed how well " Dame "Nature merits her feminine title. The next causeway with serpent balustrades on each side leads to an entry tower (1) in the first enclosure around the temple. Inside, on the right, niches along the inner wall contain images of the Buddha. Return to the center of the vestibule, turn right and walk through the courtyard to the annex building at the right (2). Continue walking straight through the series of rooms and passages to a tower (3). The relief on the horizontal beam is a fine representation of a scene from 'The Great Departure ' when the future. Buddha decides to leave his father's palace to live the life of a monk, the gods hold the hoofs of his horse so those sleeping in the palace are not awakened. Return to the courtyard and pass through an opening as opening (4) in the wall of the second enclosure (at the south end). The roots of a tree grip the double row of pillars in this gallery. Walk to the center of the complex, turn right and enter the entry tower (5) of the third enclosing gallery. The inner walls are decorated with friezes of pendants, scrolls and figures in niches. Turn right again and walk into the central courtyard (6) of the temple. Central Sanctuary : Follow the plan and walk through the Central Sanctuary, recognizable by its undecorated interior. The stone has hammered, presumably to apply a coating probably of paint or gilt. Evenly spaced ' holes in the wall from floor to ceiling suggest a covering of wood, stucco or metal. Walk across the central courtyard towards the left (northeast) and through the door (7) of a gallery that is framed by the roots of a tree. Turn left and walk through a dark passageway (8) and a courtyard (9). Enter the aisle with pillars, turn right, walk straight between twin towers and to the right into a very narrow passage which houses the inscription (10) of the temple. Return by the same passage, turn right and continue straight, passing through a vestibule (11). The false doors on the north and south sides of the large rectangular enclosure with high walls are finely decorated. There are four small courts with galleries and pillars (12). Ritual dances may have been performed in this area. Walk across the courtyard and into the entry tower of the enclosing wall, at the east entrance (13). It is in the shape of a cross with pillars on the interior, four wings and two passages on the side. The walls of these passages are decorated with relief. To the left there is a hall with pillars placed close together (14). They probably provided the base for a structure built of wood. Beyond are small rectangular cells (15), which surround the exterior of Ta Prohm. One leaves Ta Prohm by a path (400 meters, 1,32 feet long) leading to the exterior enclosure where section of the wall are visible. So the temple is held in a stranglehold of trees. Stone and wood clasp each other in grim hostility; yet all is silent and still, without any visible movement to indicate their struggle as if they were wrestlers suddenly petrified, struck motionless in the middle of a fight, the rounds in this battle were not measured by minutes, but by centuries.

Sras Srang Reservoir

Sras Srang is one of the few reservoirs at Angkor still holding water. It was completed during the reign of Rajendravarman in the late 10th century, and was designed by the architect Kavindrarimathana, whose name has miraculously survived. Sras Srang means "royal bathing pool," and was originally far larger than any pool today at least 350 by 700 meters. Kavindrarimathana apparently cared for the project deeply, leaving instructions at nearby Bat Chum Temple (which he also designed) that warned people not to pollute the water with bathing animals or to trammel the dikes with elephant herds. Nevertheless, Sras Srang was modified two centuries later by King Jayavarman VII, who faced the dikes with sandstone and added a beautiful boat landing (seen in the picture). He also shortened the reservoir slightly. Sras Srang is thought to have been a natural lake, which helps explain why it still holds water. 

Prasat Kravan Prasat Krawan is located in the east of Angkor Wat and south of Banteay Kdei. A enter and depart from the east Tip: The reliefs in this tower are best viewed in the morning when the east light enters the door, in the afternoon they are barely visible. It was built in the first half of the tenth century (921) by Completed during the reign of Harshavarman 1 (it may have been built by high court officials) in Hindu religion with following transitional from Bakheng to Koh Ker. Background : The main point of interest at Kravan is the sculpture on the interior of two of the five towers depicting Visnu and his consort, Laksmi; the scene in the central tower is the most impressive one. These carvings in brick on the interior of a monument are unique in Khmer architecture. This temple was reconstructed by the French and given a new foundation, interior walls and drains. Some broken bricks were replaced with carefully made reproductions which are marked with the letters CA; representing the Angkor Conservancy These can be seen, for example, on both the interior and exterior of the tower on the right. Layout : Kravan is an unusual arrangement of five towers in a row on one terrace. They are built of brick; the lintels and columns are of sandstone. Central Tower : This is the only tower with recessed tiers intact, which are visible on the interior. The columns are octagonal, with four bare sides and sandstone rings. This tower enclosed a linga on a pedestal. An inscription on the pillars gives the date 921 for the erection of the statue of Visnu on the interior Decoration (exterior): The east side of the Central Tower is sculpted with male guardians in shallow niches and chevrons and framed figures on the pilasters. A frieze of small heads adorns the lintel. Decoration (interior): The main decoration of this tower, on the left, depicts Visnu taking three steps to span the universe and to assure the gods of the possession of the world. It comprises a standing image of Visnu (with four arms) carrying his attributes-a disc, a ball, a conch and a club. One of his feet rests on a pedestal; nearby a person is meditating and another one is walking on a lotus held by a woman on a background of undulating lines representing the waves of the ocean. On the right, Visnu (with eight arms) is framed with six registers of people meditating and a giant lizard. This sculpture on brick was formerly coated with stucco and was probably highlighted with colours. North Tower : This temple was dedicated to Laksmi, wife of Siva. She holds the symbols of her powers in her four hands and is flanked by kneeling admirers, the niche with multiple lobes is decorated with tassels and floral swags. South Tower : The walls on the interior have no decoration A lintel on the exterior with Visnu on his mount, the Garuda, is skillfully modeled.

GRAND TOURS
Preah Khan

Prasat Phnom Krom is approximately 12 kilometers (7 .4 miles) southwest of Siem Reap near the north end of the Tonle Sap Lake. It is located on a mountain 137 meters (449 feet) highs. Climb the steep stairs and curved curved path through a modern temple complex at the top of the hill. The walk affords a fine view of the lake and surrounding area. 
Preah Khan, the Beguiler, the Romancer, and the artist... it is an entrancing mystery deep in the jungle, soft and alluring in the twilight made heavy verdure, accessible only to the ardent lover of past days who is gifted with agility. They may have been courtyards where high priests gathered and guardians slept, but now they are walled bowers over which the trees extend to heaven's blue.... It all seems a wondrous mass of beauty tossed together in superb confusion.

Prasat Preah Khan is north of Angkor Thom and west of Neak Pean. A enter and leave the temple from the west entrance (the description, however, begins at the east, the principal entrance.) It is recommended you allow plenty of time for seeing this monument for 'there are delicious spots in which to stay still ' The world Monument Fund is in the process of clearing and repairing this temple to give visitors a better understanding of its original form.
Tip: When visiting Preah Khan follow the central artery on a west-east axis.
It was built in second half of the 12th century (1191) by king Jayavarman VII, dedicated to the father of the king (Buddhist), with following to Prasat Bayon art style.
Background : Four causeways lead to the temple and are bordered by the same figures (giants and gods carrying a serpent as are found at the entrances to the city of Angkor Thom (not shown on the plan). This architectural element was the mark of a royal city. The absence of towers with faces such as those found at other temples built by the same king suggests Preah Khan is earlier. It may have served as a temporary residence of King Jayavarman VII while he was rebuilding the capital after the Chams sacked it in 1177. Preah Khan shares similarities with the temple of Ta Prohm. The main elements are contained in a small space giving a cramped feeling. Much of the temple is in poor condition but even restored it would seem architecturally complex.
An inscription found in 1939 indicates Preah Khan was the ancient city of Nagarajayacri. the second part of the name, Jayacri , is the Thai word for sacred sword, the meaning of Preah Khan. The sacred sword has a long history in Khmer tradition as in the late in the century Jayavarman II left his successor a sacred sword, the Preah Khan , which descendants still guard. Coeds, though, suggests that the legend of the sacred sword may have originate with the Thais who still call their sacred sword ' Jayacri '
Layout : Preah Khan comprises a vast area of 140 acres (56.7 hectares) and four enclosing walls. The buildings are enclosed by a rectangular wall 700 by 800 meters (2,296 by 2,624 feet) and surrounded by a moat ( not shown on the plan). Inside is a labyrinth of pavilions, halls and chapels.


A processional way with stone markers displaying the head of a mythical monster and a niche, which originally contained a seated Buddha, precedes a causeway bordered by gods and demons holding a serpent, which leads to an outer enclosing wall.

Giant Garudas and serpents and serpents are seen in relief on the laterite wall, a motif that is reproduced every 50 meters (164 feet) around the three kilometers (1.9-mile) long wall. The entry tower at the east has three porches and the center one forms a passage to the temple (not shown on the plan). The walls decorated with a tapestry pattern with a base of scrolls, small female divinities and false windows with lowered blinds.

On the right of the avenue leading to the enclosing wall are the remains is a rest house for pilgrims, as described in the inscription of the temple (not shown on the plan). They have thick walls and windows with a double row of balusters.
The Second Enclosure : The second enclosure (1) is preceded by a large terrace with two levels; lions and serpent balustrades lead to an imposing entry tower five doors and two end pavilions (2). It connects to galleries with columns on the exterior and a wall with false windows and false windows and balusters on the interior (toward the courtyard).
Inside the second enclosure marked by a laterite wall is a courtyard in the shape of a cross (3) with four smaller courtyards surrounded by galleries with columns. Traces of vaults are visible and above the bays are friezes of Apsaras this area is known as the hall of Dancers.
On the right there is a series off large thick pillars set close together on two levels. The function of this double story building (4) is unknown, although some archaeologists suggest it may have been a library and no trace of a stairway between the two floors has been found. Others believe it housed the sacred sword after which the temple was named. On the opposite side there is a long terrace (5) raised on laterite retaining wall.

It is the night of a feast the birthday of a king or the holiday of a god. Fires are burning in Pra Khan and in Ta Prohm and Bantei Kedei. There is a ruddy glow in the sky above Angkoe thom, and the pyramid of the eastern Meborn is inverted flame in the still water of the Baray. And the close packed millions of the people of Angkor are in the roads with torches in their hands. Patterns of light weave across the blackness of the plain. Streams of fire are flowing in weird channels, welding at the unseen crossroads and spreading out in dazzling tapestries in the temple courts.
RJ Casey, Four, Four Faces of Siva: the Detective Story of a Vanished Race (George G Harrap, London, 1929). Return to the central artery and continue walking across the dancing hall and into a courtyard. On the left and right there are libraries (6) opening to the west. The next gallery is finely decorated with female and male divinities in high relief framing the bays and a frieze of Buddha images separated by flying figures with Garudas in the corner. Through two enclosing walls (7and 8), there is a stone stele in a portico to a central shrine (9). It is inscribed on each of the four faces.
Central Sanctuary : The Central Sanctuary (10) divides the courtyard into two unequal sections. The main tower with four porches is in the shape of a cross. The center of the interior is marked by dome-shaped stone mound that tapers to a point (sixteenth century). This is a good vantage point from which to see the perspective of rooms and galleries in the cardinal directions and the interplay of light and shade.
A stroll to the south of the Central Sanctuary, from where one can see the surrounding jungle, is most pleasant. A walk to the north, from where a causeway bordered by gods and demons is visible, is equally rewarding. The entry tower on the north side (11) is framed by trees. the main porch of this entrance is preceded by large guardian figures and a terrace in the shape of a cross. Return to the Central Sanctuary and continue to the west. the structures on the left and right (120 in the courtyard were probably funerary chapels or family vaults. the entry tower of the enclosure at the west is in the shape of a cross with pillars and aisles (13).

Neak Pean Neak Pean is one of the temples that make one dream of the olden days of luxury and beauty. It was worth while to the overpowering temples of Civa that men and armies repaired; but it was at the tiny temple of Neak Pean that eager princesses laid their lovely offerings of wrought gold and pungent perfumes. Prasat Neak Pean is located in the east of Prah Khan, 300 meters (984 feet) from the road. A enter and leave from the north entrance. It was built in second half of the 12th century by king Jayavarman VII, dedicated to Buddhist, with following to Prasat Bayon art style. Background : Although. Neak Pean is small and a collection of five ponds, it is worth a visit for its unique features. It is believed to have been consecrated to Buddha coning to the glory of Nivana. The central pond is a replica of Lake Anavatapta in the Himalayas, situated at the top of the universe. The lake gives birth to the four great rivers of the earth. These rivers are represented at Neak Pean by sculpted gargoyles corresponding to the four cardinal points Lake Anavatapta was fed by hot springs and venerated in Idia for the curative powers of its waters. The orientation of the ponds at Neak Pean ensured that the water was always fresh because the pods received only reflected light. Layout : Neak Pean is a large square man-made pond (70 meters, 230 feet each side) bordered by steps and surrounded by four smaller ponds. A small circular island with a stepped base of seven laterite tiers is in the center of the large square pond. Small elephants sculpted in the round originally stood on the four comers. The central tower was dedicated to Avalokitesvara Central Island : The bodies of two serpents encircle the base of the island and their entwine on…Neak Pean-the last word being pronounced <Ponn>, and the whole name signifies curved Nagas. Neak Pean is one of the temples that makes one dream of the olden days of luxury and beauty. It was worth while to live then and to be a woman among a race which has wver adored its women It is to the overpowering temple of Civa that men and armies repaired, but it was at the tiny temple of Neak Pean that eager princesses laid their lovely offerings of wrought gold and pungent perfumes…Fancy it as it was in the old days. To begin with there was the artificial lake, a wide extent of water in the shallows of which floated the flowering lotus. In its exact center-the surveyors of Angkor were expert stood the exquisite miniature temple of one small chamber, the sanctuary, a temple as finely ornate and as well-proportioned as an alabaster vase. With art delicious this wonder was made to appear like a vision in the land of faerie. It floated upon a full-opened flower of the lotus, the petal tips curling back to touch the water. On the corolla of the flower curved around the temple’s base, were two Nagas whose tails were twisted together at the back and who raised their fan of heads on either side of the steps in front which mounted to the sanctuary. Thus they guarded the gem and gave gracious welcome to whosoever directed her light barque to draw close to this lovely heaven….On this circular pedestal of poetic imagination rested a square temple with four carved doors, one open occupying all the fasade except for the square columns which flank it. Above rose the tower with pointed over-door groups of carvings, symbolic, graceful, inspiring Each closed door bore the figure of the humane god Vishnu standing at full height, but lest he impress too strongly his grandeur in this dainty spot, the space about him is filled with minor carving which vary on each door. Within this lovely casket was a seated stone figure. The door was ever open, suppliants might at any time lay before Buddha their offerings and their prayers. The chamber was too small to admit them and they stood without in a bending group, swaying toward the Naga-heads for support or salaaming gracious salutations to the god of peaceful meditation. The golden boat floating beside the approach again… Rowers moved the shallop so slowly that the Naga-prow seemed to progress of its own volition. And so, the gods appeased, the spirits rose, and life went happily in the lovely twilight hour…one must know its former state to love it….Neak Pean stands hidden, but it stands in greater perfection than if it had not had not had the enveloping. H Churchill Candee, Angkor: The Magnificent, The Wonder City of Ancient Cambodia (H F& G Witherby, London, 1925)

Pre Rup

A work of great dignity and impeccable proportions', wrote Mauize of Prerup in his guidebook of 1963. Pre Rup is located at northeast of Srah Srang and 500 meters (1,640 feet) south of the south end of the East Baray. An entrance and exit the monument from the east entrance. To climb to the upper terrace use the east stairway; it is slightly less steep than the others. 
Tip: Because the temple is built entirely of brick and laterite, the warm tones of these materials are best are seen early in the morning or when the sun is setting. There are two views from the top terrace: the first looking east towards Phnom Bok and the mountain chain of Phnom Kulen; and the second looking west where the towers of Angkor Wat can be distinguished on the far horizon.
It was built in second half of the tenth century (961) by the King Rajendraman II dedicated to the god Siva (Hindi), replica to Pre Rup style of art.
Background : The boldness of the architectural design of Pre Rup is superb and give the temple fine balance, scale and proportion. The temple is almost identical in style to the East Mebon, although it was built several yeas later. It is the last real 'temple-mountain ' Pre Rup was called the 'City of the East ' by Philippe Stern, a Frenchman who worked on the site.
The Cambodians have always regarded this temple as having funerary associations but reason is unknown. The name Prerup recalls one of the rituals of cremation in which the silhouette of the body of the deceased, outlined with its ashes, is successively represented according to different orientations, Some archaeologists believe that the large vat located at the base of the east stairway to the central area was used at cremations.
Layout : Pre Rup dominates the vast plain, which the East Baray irrigated. Contracted on an artificial mountain in laterite with brick towers, the plan is square and comprises two enclosures (1 and 2) with four entry towers each and a base with three narrow tiers (3) serving as a pedestal for five towers on the top platform one in each corner and one central (4). The outer enclosing wall is 127 by 116 meters (417 by 380 feet).

Inside the outer laterite-enclosing wall there are two groups of three towers, one on each side of the entrance (5); the towers of each group share a common base. The middle tower in each of the two groups dominates and is more developed than the others. It appears that the first tower on the right was never built or, if it was, its bricks were reused somewhere else. The most complete lintel is on the tower at the far left (south )on the east face showing in his avataras a man-lion.

The next enclosure, also made of laterite, has four small entry towers, one on each side (2) Long galleries surround the courtyard on the enterior. The walls of these galleries, which have sandstone porches, are built of laterite.

In the courtyard there are vestiges of long rest halls (6) probably used by pilgrims. They have sandstone pillars in the east and laterite walls and windows with balusters in the west. In the northeast corner there is a curious small square building (7) built of large blocks of laterite and open on all four sides. The inscription of the temple was found in gallery near this building.
Libraries : On the left and right sides of the east entry tower of the second enclosure there are libraries (8) with high towers. They sheltered carved stones with motifs of the nine planets and the seven ascetics. In the center there is a vat (9) between two rows of sandstone pillars. Glaize suggested that this might have been, rather than a sarcophagus, a base for a wooden building or for a statue of Nandi, the sacred bull, the mount of Siva to whom the temple was dedicated.
Central Area (bese and towers) : the square base has a stairway on each side . Pedestals flanking the stairways are adorned with seated lion of which those on the lower terraces are larger than those on the higher levels. The first two tiers are built of laterite and have simple supporting walls with a molded base and cornice. The third tier is built of sandstone. Two supplementary stairways are framed with lions on the east side. Twelve small temples opening to the east and containing linga are evenly spaced around the first tier. The upper platform is raised on a double base of molded sandstone with stairway flanked with lions.

The five central towers on the top platform are open to the east. They all have three false doors made of sandstone and are sculpted with figures and plant motifs. Traces of plaster are visible on the tower in the southwest corner. At the same tower there is a depiction of Saravati , wife of Brahma , with four faces and arms. On the west side of this tower there is another divinity with four arms and heads in the form of a wild boar; it is the wife of Visnu in his avataras as a boar. Figures in the niches are surrounded by flying Apsaras at the corners of the towers. the figures at the two west towers are feminine while those at the east and central towers are masculine.

East Mebon East Mebon : The lovely temple of Mebon, a pyramid of receding terraces on which are placed many detached edifices, the most effective being the five towers which crown the top Could any conception be lovelier, a vast expanse of sky-tinted water as wetting for a perfectly ordered temple. The East Mebon is 500metre (1,640feet) north of Pre Rup. A enter and leave the temple from the east entrance. It was built in the second half of the tenth century (952) by king Rajendravarman II, dedicated to Siva (Hindu), an ancestor temple in memory of the parents of the king with following the Pre Rup style art. Background : The Mebon stands on a small island in the middle of the Eastern Baray, which was a large body of water (2 by 7 kilometres, 1.2by4.3miles) fed by the Siem Reap River. The temple was accessible only by boat. Today the baray, once a source of water for irrigation, is a plain of rice fields and the visitor is left to imagine the original majesty of this temple in the middle of a large lake. Layout : The East Mebon is a temple with five towers arranged like the numbers on a die atop a base with three tiers. The whole is surrounded by three enclosures. The towers represent the five peaks of the mythical Mount Meru. The outer enclosing wall (1) is identified by a terraced landing built of laterite with two seated lions on each of the four sides (2). The interior of this wall is marked by a footpath. The neat enclosing wall (3) is intercepted in the middle of each of its four sides by an entry tower in the shape. Of a cross (4) The towers are constructed of laterite and sandstone and have three doors with porches. An inscription was found to the right of the east tower. A series of galleries surrounds the interior of this enclosing wall (5) . The walls are of laterite and have porches, sandstone pillars and rectangular windows with short balusters. The galleries were originally covered with wood and tiles but today only vestiges remain. They probably served as halls of meditation. The stairways of the tiered base are flanked by lions (6). Beautiful monolithic elephants stand majestically at the corners of the first and second tiers (7). They are depicted naturalistically with fine detail such as harnessing. Tip: The elephant in the best condition, and the most complete, is in the southwest corner. Entry Towers : The lintels on the west entry tower (4) depict Visnu in his avataras of man-lion tearing the king of the demons with his claws (east). At the northeast corner Laksmi stands between two elephants with raised trunks sprinkling lustral water on her. Inner Courtyard : The large inner courtyard contains eight small brick towers (8)-two on each side opening to the East. Each one has octagonal columns and finely worked lintels with figures amongst leaf decorations. On the East Side of the courtyard there are three rectangular laterite buildings (9) without windows opening to the west. The two on the left of the entrance are decorated with either scenes of the stories of the nine planets or the seven ascetics. Vestiges of bricks above the cornices suggest they were vaulted. There are two more buildings (without windows) of similar form at the northwest and southwest (9) comers of the courtyard. Upper Terace : The terrace with the five towers was enclosed by a sandstone wall moulding and decorated bases (10). Lions guard the four stairways to the top platform. Central Sanctuaries : The five towers on the upper terrace were built of brick and open to the east; they have three false doors made of sandstone (11 and 12). Male figures on the comers are finely modeled. Circular holes pierced in the brick for the attachment of stucco are visible. The false doors of the towers have fine decoration with an overall background pattern of interlacing small figures on a plant motif.