The beginning of the Angkorian period was shortly after 800 A.D., when the Khmer King Jayavarman II announced the independence of Cambodia and established his capital at the northern end of Tonle Sap. In 802 Jayavarman rendered his new status by declaring himself “universal monarch.”For the next 300 years, between 900 and 1200 CE, some of the world’s most amazing architectural masterpieces the Khmer empire produced, were in the area we know as Angkor. Most of them are in an area about 15 miles east to west and 5 miles north to south. There are 72 major temples or other buildings in this area. The Angkor settlement around the temple complex was over 3,000 km² (1,150 square miles).The main temple is Angkor Wat, built between 1113 and 1150 by King Suryavarman II. After uniting his political position through military diplomacy,campaigns, and a firm domestic administration, Suryavarman began the construction of Angkor Wat near what is now Siem Reap. With walls on each side nearly one-half mile long, Angkor Wat exudes the Hindu cosmology, and the central towers represent Mount Meru, home of the gods; the outer walls, the mountains enclosing the world; and the moat, the oceans beyond. After defeating the neighboring Cham in 1181, Jayavarman took reign. He was known to be the greatest of the Angkorian kings. Jayavarman built the walled city of Angkor Thom, as well as its geographic and spiritual center, the temple known as the Bayon. Bas-reliefs at the Bayon represent not only the king’s battles with the Cham, but also representations from the life of Khmer villagers and courtiers. Jayavarman also constructed the well-known temples of Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, who he dedicated to his parents. During Jayavarman’s reign, Hindu temples were altered to show images of the Buddha, and Angkor Wat briefly became a Buddhist shrine. The kingdom fell into a period of internal strife following the death of Suryavarman. The year Angkor was rampaged and looted by Thai invaders, was notably the end of the Angkorian period and was generally around 1431 A.D. even though the civilization already had been in decline in the 13th and 14th centuries. During the 15th century, nearly all of Angkor was abandoned, except for Angkor Wat, which remained a Buddhist shrine. Angkor Wat was put on Unesco’s list of World Heritage sites in 1992 after many decades of wear and tear had taken their toll on this site in Cambodia.isitors to the temples of Angkor must buy an entrance ticket. The ticket sales booths are open from 5 a.m. in the morning to 5:30 p.m. at night. A one day pass is US$ 20, a three day is US$ 40, and a week pass costs US$ 60.Visitors must show their Angkor Pass every time they pass one of the checkpoints and at the entrance to most temples and other monuments in the Angkor Park. The temples are open from sunrise to sunset. Angkor Wat is in western Cambodia near the Thailand border. The nearest town and the launching ground for tours is Siem Reap. The US dollar is the de facto currency of the country. Besides the obvious vast amount of temples, here are some other highlights not to miss while at Angkor:
Sunrise at Angkor Wat – Sunrise absolutely cannot be missed. Rays of light raised behind Angkor Wat make the whole temple covered with a spectacular and mysterious atmosphere that you must take in.
The reflection ofthe three towers symmetry of Angkor Wat – One of the must-do’s and what most tourist do is jostle themselves for a shot of the reflection of the three towers symmetry of Angkor with the reflection in the pond. Since this is a place of interest with many tourist, this is also a good stopping point if you are alone. You can ask fellow travelers to take your photo with the background as evidence that you were there.
Siem Reap – is the town and providence where Angkor Wat is located. It is only at the beginning of modernization and urbanization, so there are still interesting communities around the temples. This is also a great way to visit neat little markets and contribute to the local villag
Bayon Temple – If you only see one other temple besides Angkor Wat, Bayon should be the one. The giant stone faces of Bayon have become one of the most recognizable images connected to classic Khmer art and architecture. There are 37 standing towers, most but not all sporting four carved faces oriented toward the cardinal points. It is best to plan multiple days to see all of the temples, but if time does not allow, Bayon should be on your list.
The celebrated Angkor temple complex is in great disrepair and is one of the many sites in the world where tourism has been a double edged sword. It currently draws about one million tourists a year, but estimates suggest that over the next few years visitor numbers could swell to as many as five million a year. Such an increase in traffic is something the ancient sandstone structures are ill-equipped to cope. Even before the Communist guerrillas started shooting at it, the temple had to endure centuries of neglect in the humid jungle. Conservation work on the site resumed after the end of the Cambodia civil war, and since 1993 has been jointly coordinated by the French and Japanese and UNESCO through the International Coordinating Committee on the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC), while Cambodian work is carried out by APSARA. Some temples have been carefully taken apart stone by stone and reassembled on concrete foundations. The World Monuments Fund has aided Preah Khan, the Churning of the Sea of Milk (a 49-meter-long bas-relief frieze in Angkor Wat), Ta Som, and Phnom Bakheng.Conservation efforts continue year after year in order to preserve the sites not only from the onslaught of tourism but from nature too. Locals are educated on the value of the site and on sustainable tourism methods. Angkor Wat is also under the constant threat of looting.
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