ANGKOR

Some of the main beautiful temples in Siem Reap:

    But first some information:

    Kampuchea, Cambodi, Khmer and Angkor are all names associated with a single Asian        

    civilization renowned for its art and architecture.

    Kambujadesa or Kambuja is a Sanskrit name for the modern country of Cambodia. The word        

    derives from a tribe in north India and is associated with Kambu Svayambhuva, the    

    legendary/founder of the Khmer civilization. Kampuchea a modern version of the name, was        

    part of the official title of the country as recently as 1989. European transliterations of        

    Kambuja became Cambodge in French and Cambodia in English, which is the name of this south-       

    east Asian country today. The modern capitol of Cambodia is Phnom (Hill) Penh, located in the    

    southern part of the country..

    "Angkor" literally means "Capital City" or "Holy City".

    The name Angkor derives from the Sanskrit word "nagara" (Holy City) which is nakhlon in Thai        

    and many have been pronounced "nokor" or "ongkor" in Khmer.

    Angkor was an ancient political centre situated 320 kilometers (199 miles) north of Phnom Penh in    

    Siem Reap province. The town of Siem Reap (the defeat of the Siamese), the province capital        

    is six kilometers (4 miles) south of Angkor Wat.

    The core of the Khmer empire remained in the vicinity of Angkor for over 500 years, but the area    

    of settlement and political domination fluctuated. At the height of territorial expansion, the    

    Khmer claimed control over major parts of neighboring areas. Evidence of former Khmer presence    

    in Thailand exists from as early as the seventh century.

    Angkor is situated in a large basin framed by the Tonle Sap (Great Lake) in the south and Kulen hills

    in the north. This plateau is drained by tributaries of the Siem Reap River and intercepted by three

    hills - Phnom Bok, Phnom Bakheng and Phnom Krom, which became the sites of temples built by    

    king Yasoverman I in the tenth century.

    What is Angkor ? Many people who have not been to Angkor think it is only one monument -        

    Angkor Wat.

    This erroneous idea probably arose because it is the most frequently visited and written about

    Angkor. Though, covers an area of 200 square kilometers (77 square miles) in north-western    

    Cambodia.

    For the bicycle people who are going by bicycle, the waypoints GPS coordinates from Angkor Wat    

    are:

    N 13°   23.140

    E 103°  51.807

Angkor Wat Temple was built by king Suryavarman II in the first half of 12th century ( 1113 – 1150 ) and dedicated to Hinduism. Angkor Wat is the largest monument of the Angkor Group and one of the most intact, rather than this Angkor Wat Temple is the 7th wonder of the world. The plan of Angkor Wat is difficult to grasp because of its enormity The picture is made by Gerard Essaka http://www.essaka.de
	Bayon Temple was built by king Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181 – 1120 ) in the late of 12th to early 13th century, it’s dedicated to Buddhism. The Bayon temple vies with Angkor Wat temple as the favorite monument among visitors. Over 200 large faces carved on the 54 towers give this temple its majestic character. It’s accepted that the four faces on each of the tower are images of king Jayarvarman VII and signify the omnipresence of the king.

Taprohm Temple was built by king Jayavarman VII in the mid-12th century to early 13th century and dedicated to Buddhism ( dedicated to the mother of the king ). 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. The picture is made by Gerard Essaka http://www.essaka.de

	Banteay Srei Temple ( The Citadel of women ) The building was built by king Rajendravarman II and Jayavarman V, dedicated to Hinduism, it’s located 45km north-east of Siem Reap town. The enchanting temple of Banteay Srei is nearly everyone’s site. The special charm of this temple lies in its remarkable state of preservation, small size and excellence of decoration.

Sunrise View at Angkor Wat Temple   Sunset View at Bakheng Hill

    If you would like to know more about the authority for protection and management of                

    Angkor and the region of Siem Reap : http://www.autoriteapsara.org/index.html

    More about Angkor : http://www.leidenuniv.nl/pun/ubhtm/mjk/cambodia.htm