Angkor is the ancient home of the Khmer gods. Angkor, Cambodia: description, photos and reviews. Opening to world culture

Mysterious Cambodia is lost among the jungles of Southeast Asia, striking with contrasts between untouched nature and noisy cities with bright colors. The country is proud of its ancient temples, one of which is Angkor Wat. A huge sacred building keeps the secrets and legends of the city of the gods and the capital of the ancient Khmer Empire.

The height of the three-level complex, built of several million tons of sandstone, reaches 65 m. On an area larger than the territory of the Vatican, there are entire galleries and terraces, magnificent towers, the facades of which began to be built and hand-painted under one emperor, and ended under another ruler. The work continued for 30 years.

The history of the creation of the temple of Angkor Wat

The capital of the Khmer Empire was built over 4 centuries. Archaeologists believe that the area of the city was 200 square meters. km. Over four centuries, many temples appeared, some of them can be seen today. Angkor Wat was built in the era when Suryavarman II ruled the ancient state. The king died in 1150, and the complex built in honor of God Vishnu, after the death of the emperor, took him to the tomb.

In the 15th century, the Thais captured Angkor, and local residents, who, according to historians, were about a million, left the city to the south of the state and founded a new capital. One of the legends tells that the emperor ordered the priest's son to be drowned in the lake. God was angry and sent a flood to the prosperous Angkor.

Scientists still do not understand why the conquerors did not settle in a rich city if the locals left it. Another legend tells that the mythical goddess, who turned into a beauty and descended from heaven to the king, suddenly fell out of love and stopped coming to the emperor. In the days when she did not appear, Angkor suffered from misfortune.

Description of the building

The giant temple complex impresses with its harmony and smoothness of lines. It was built on a sand hill from top to bottom, from the center to the periphery. The outer courtyard of Angkor Wat is surrounded by a wide moat filled with water. The rectangular structure measuring 1300 by 1500 m consists of three tiers, denoting the natural elements - earth, air, water. On the main platform there are 5 majestic towers, each symbolizing one of the peaks of the mythical Mount Meru, the highest one rises in the center. It was built as the abode of God.

The stone walls of the complex are decorated with carvings. On the first tier there are galleries where bas-reliefs in the form of ancient Khmer characters rise, on the second there are figures of celestial dancers. The sculptures are amazingly combined with the architecture of the temple, in the appearance of which one can feel the influence of two cultures - Indian and Chinese.

All buildings are located symmetrically. Despite the fact that Angkor Wat is surrounded by water bodies, the area never gets flooded even during the rainy season. A road leads to the main entrance to the complex, located in the western part, on both sides of which there are sculptures of snakes with seven heads. Each gate tower corresponds to a certain part of the world. Under the southern gopura is a statue of Vishnu.

All the buildings of the temple complex are made of very smooth, as if polished stones, tightly fitted to each other. And although the Khmer solution was not used, no cracks or seams are visible. From which side a person would not approach the temple, admire its beauty and grandeur, he will never see all 5 towers, but only three of them. Such interesting facts indicate that the complex, built in the 12th century, is an architectural masterpiece.

The columns, the roof of the temple are decorated with carvings, and the walls are decorated with bas-relief. Each tower is shaped like a beautiful lotus bud, the height of the main one reaches 65 m. All these structures are connected by corridors, and from the galleries of one level you can get to the second, and then to the third.

At the entrance to the first tier there are 3 towers. It has preserved panels with pictures from the ancient epic, the total length of which is close to a kilometer. To admire the bas-reliefs, you need to pass through a series of majestic columns. The ceiling of the tier impresses with carvings made in the form of a lotus.

The towers of the second level are connected by corridors with those located on the first tier. The patios of the space were once filled with rainwater and served as pools. The central staircase leads to the third tier, divided into 4 squares and located at a height of 25 meters.

The complex was not built for ordinary believers, but was intended for the religious elite. Kings were buried there. The origin of the temple is interestingly told in the legend. The Khmer prince managed to visit Indra. The beauty of his heavenly palace with graceful towers struck the young man. And God decided to give Preah Ket the same, but on earth.

Opening to world culture

After the inhabitants left Angkor, Buddhist monks settled in the temple. And although in the 16th century a Portuguese missionary visited him, Henri Muo told the world about the miracle of the world. Seeing the towers among the jungle, a traveler from France was so amazed by the magnificence of the complex that he described the beauty of Angkor Wat in his report. In the 19th century, tourists went to Cambodia.

In difficult times, when the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot ruled the country, the temples became inaccessible to scientists, archaeologists, and travelers. And only since 1992 the situation has changed. Money for restoration comes from different countries, but it will take more than one decade to restore the complex.

In the late nineties, an English historian suggested that the sacred temple is a projection of part of the Milky Way on earth. The placement of structures resembles the spiral of the constellation Draco. As a result of a computer study, it was found that the temples of the ancient city really reflect the location of the Dragon stars, which was observed more than 10 thousand years ago during the equinox, although it is known exactly when Angkor Wat was built - in the 12th century.

Scientists have put forward a hypothesis that the main complexes of the capital of the Khmer Empire were already built on pre-existing structures. Modern technology is not able to recreate the grandeur of the temples, which are held on their own weight, not fastened by anything and fitted perfectly.

How to get to the Angkor Wat temple complex

Where the city of Sien Reap is located can be found on the map. It is from him that the journey to the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire begins, the distance is no more than 6 km. How to get to the temple, each tourist chooses on his own - by taxi or tuk-tuk. The first option will cost $5, the second $2.

You can get to Sien Reap:

by air;
by land;
on water.

Planes from Vietnam, Korea, and Thailand arrive at the city's airport. Buses run from Bangkok and the capital of Cambodia. A small boat departs from Phnom Penh on Tonle Sap Lake in summer.

The cost of visiting the complex depends on what the tourist wants to see. The price of a ticket to Angkor starts at $37 per day, and the route is 20 sq. km. km. For a week of walking around the ancient city and getting to know almost 3 dozen temples, you need to pay $ 72.

There are always a lot of travelers on the territory of Angkor Wat. To take a quality photo, it is better to go to the backyard and try to stay there until sunset. You can wander through the majestic towers and galleries, painted with battle scenes, on your own or as part of an excursion.

A moat with water surrounding the perimeter of the complex forms an island with an area of 200 hectares. To get to it, you need to go through the stone bridges leading to 2 opposite sides of the step pyramid of the temple. To the western entrance, near which 3 towers flaunt, a pavement of large blocks has been laid. To the right of the shrine stands a huge statue of the god Vishnu. On both sides of the road there are libraries with exits to the west, north, east and south. Artificial reservoirs were placed near the temple.

Before the eyes of tourists who have climbed to the second tier, a bewitching picture of the main towers will appear. Each of them can be approached by stone narrow bridges. The grandeur of the third level of the complex indicates the perfection and harmony of Khmer architecture.

Research conducted by scientists and archaeologists on the territory of the ancient capital of a prosperous empire will reveal new secrets of the mysterious and majestic temple of Angkor Wat. The history of the Khmer era is being restored through inscriptions on sculptures and architectural masterpieces. Many facts indicate that people lived here for a very long time, and the city of the gods was founded by the descendants of an ancient civilization.

A breathtaking spectacle will open up to travelers who decide to fly over the temple complex in a helicopter or hot air balloon. Travel companies are ready to provide such a service.

Angkor (Cambodia) is the center of the ancient Khmer Empire, a complex of temples that have survived to this day. This cultural heritage is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is rightfully considered the most popular attraction in the country. How to get to Angkor, the schedule and the cost of visiting the temples - all the information you need for a successful trip is in this article.

angkor wat

Do not confuse! Angkor is an ancient city, on whose territory there are over 20 temples, among which the largest is Angkor Wat.

Excursion into history

The construction of the Angkor complex was started by the founder of the local dynasty - the prince who declared the independence of Cambujadesh (today's Cambodia), Jayavarman II. Since then, almost every king erected one or more sacred buildings during his reign, often marking a certain event. The construction of the complex was completed in 1218, after the death of Jayavarman VII, by whose order the temples of Preah-Kan (in honor of the victory over the tyams), Ta-Prohm (in memory of the mother of the majestic ruler) and others were erected.

Interesting fact! The largest temple in history, Angkor Wat, was built over 30 years. It occupies the same territory as the state of the Vatican.

The majestic Khmer empire fell in the middle of the 15th century as a result of a centuries-old struggle with the Tyams and Tays. In 1431, Siamese troops occupied Angkor, and all its inhabitants left their homes, deciding that it was better to live in peace, albeit far from their homeland. In the end, the devastated city, along with all the temples, was swallowed up by the jungle.

Angkor was rediscovered in 1861 by the French scientist Henri Muo, but due to the difficult times in the history of Cambodia, accompanied by bloody wars, no one was involved in its restoration. Only 130 years later, UNESCO will add the temple complex to the World Heritage List, and an organization will be created in China that brings together specialists who are still engaged in the restoration of this majestic landmark of Cambodia.

Amazing details! All the temples of Angkor are built without the use of cement and other binding materials.

Where is Angkor

You can get to the temple complex by tuk-tuk (about $ 2), bicycle ($ 0.5 / hour) or taxi (from $ 5), after hitting the city of Siem Reap, located in western Cambodia. For this you can use:

Siem Reap Airport

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Angkor opening hours and cost of visiting

The cash desks of the temple complex open at 5 am and work until 5:30 pm, at the same time tourists are allowed in here. According to official rules, all travelers must leave the territory of Angkor before 18:00, but if you do not get caught by the police, you can stay there a little longer and enjoy the beauty of the temples in the setting sun.

The price of entry to Angkor varies depending on the number of days. There are three options in total:

One day visit for $20;
Three-day cultural education for $40;
Seven-day walk through the temples for $60.

You can use a 3-day pass within a week of purchase, while a 7-day pass will be valid for a month. On the front side of such a ticket there should be your photo, it is made at the box office directly upon purchase.

Note! You can buy a day-to-day ticket only until 17:00, the remaining half an hour tickets are sold for the next day.

Structure of Angkor (Cambodia)

On the territory of the ancient city there are more than 30 temples, which cover an area of 500,000 square meters. It is absolutely unrealistic to visit them all in one day, most often travel agencies and travelers who have visited this attraction of Cambodia are advised to spend three to five days walking around the temple complex.

The most popular Angkor itinerary is designed for three days and is divided into visiting the temples of the small circle, the large circle, as well as distant temples, which are reached by the most persistent and curious.

Advice! If you are going to visit the temple complex with a group, rent bikes or bikes. This will help you save time and effort (since the length of the same route through the temples of the small circle is 20 km), and not lose your rented property if you digress to take a photo of Angkor Wat and other places.

small circle

These include those temples that every traveler must see - the most majestic, beautiful and valuable. The distance of the route is 20 km, designed for one day. The direction of travel is shown in the titles of the following sections: first Angkor Wat, then Angkor Thom, etc.

angkor wat

This temple occupies a vast territory and can rightfully be considered a whole complex. It is surrounded by a moat that fills with water during the rainy season, there are many trees, green grass, flowers and wild animals around.

In the center of Angkor Wat is a temple-mountain, built in such a way that its five identical turrets can be seen from any side. The second key attraction of the complex is the library - a one-story building surrounded by palm trees and tourists.

No less interesting are the galleries of Angkor Wat, which can be viewed from above, climbing the stone stairs in the backyard. In total, 8 galleries with bas-reliefs were built on the territory of the temple, densely covering the walls. The most famous among them is the Hell and Heaven Gallery.

Advice! If you want to take a deserted photo of Angkor Wat, wait for the full sunrise and look into the backyard of the temple. At this time, all the tourists who met the dawn go to rest, and the newly arrived travelers disperse to the main parts of the complex.

angkor thom

This is another attraction on the must-see list in Cambodia, the last capital of the Khmer Empire and a majestic 13th-14th century city of over a million people. Its name explains its popularity in the modern world - "Great Angkor" really impresses with its scale, unusual architecture, harmony and magnificence.

The structure of Angkor Thom is very logical - the city is a square with stone walls, inside which there are various buildings. The most significant of them:

In addition, Angkor Thom has the Terrace of the Leper King, the Terrace of the Elephants, several prasats, the Gate of Victory and an unusual bridge with figures of gods and demons. The recommended time to visit this attraction is 3-4 hours.

Advice! Head to Bayon before sunrise to avoid crowds of tourists and get the most spectacular photos.

Ta Prom

Another of the most beautiful buildings in Cambodia is Ta Prohm, which became popular after the filming of the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and today bears the proud name of Angelina Jolie Temple. For seven centuries, this building played the role of a monastery and a university, where local residents received education and conducted scientific research.

Ta Prohm is several times smaller than Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom, there are no separate significant sights on its territory, they are all part of the temple itself. Thus, the galleries of Ta Proma are among the most interesting in the entire complex, as they are built into one another and resemble a small labyrinth.

Another feature of the temple is its proximity to the jungle - the roots of trees wrap around stone walls and amaze with their size. To this day, Ta Prohm cannot be cleared of vegetation, because it is due to it that the building has survived to our times.

Millennium Mystery. Among the picturesque bas-reliefs of the temple there is an image of a dinosaur. Both scientists and tourists have been struggling with the question of what this ancient creature is doing on the walls of Ta Proma for more than a year.

Small temples of the small circle

This category includes Pre Kan (built by the last king of Cambodia in honor of his father), Ta Keo (the highest temple-mountain, the construction of which was not completed because lightning hit the building, which was considered a bad sign) and Phnom Bakeng (temple in the rock , which offers a panoramic view of the whole of Angkor). The total duration of the visit to all three buildings is 4-5 hours.

big circle

Banteay Kdey

The route includes more than ten small temples, the total duration is 25 km. The most popular buildings worth visiting in the first place:

Banteay Kdey. It was built as a Buddhist temple, consists of many galleries, decorated with bas-reliefs.
Pre Rup. Temple-mountain, created in honor of the god Shiva.
Banteay Samre. It is distinguished by the grace of architecture and unusual carved walls. It was erected in honor of the ancient Indian god Vishnu.
Ta Som. A place for spectacular photographs showing the unity of nature and ancient buildings.

distant temples

This category includes several temple complexes located at a decent distance from the center of Angkor. You can only get there by taxi or rented car (do not take a bike or bicycle, otherwise you will get mired in the dust of Cambodian dirt roads). The cost of such a trip is $ 50-60, so try to find fellow travelers or become one yourself.

Beng Melia

Located 67 km from Siem Reap, this temple is definitely worth visiting. At the entrance you will be met by unusual guards in the form of seven-headed snakes, and once inside you will understand what is the beauty of stone chaos. The peculiarity of Beng Melia is that the hands of restorers did not touch its walls, so you have a great opportunity to see it as it was found at the end of the 19th century.

Important! The cost of visiting the temple is $ 5, not included in the general ticket for Angkor.

banteay srey

It is called the "Fortress of Beauty", the citadel of women and the pearl of Angkor. This is a unique building, unlike all other buildings of the complex due to:

Your size. Banteay Srey is really miniature, which is very impressive, especially after visiting Angkor Wat;
materials. The temple is built of pink sandstone (the rest are yellow), which gives it a special charm and beauty, especially early in the morning;
Handmade carvings and bas-reliefs that cover the walls of Banteay Srey.

On the territory of the temple there is a library, a central sanctuary, many statues. Recommended visiting time is 2-3 hours. Distance from Siem Reap - 37 km.

This place is sacred to all the inhabitants of Cambodia, because it was here that the country's independence was proclaimed 1200 years ago. Here is the famous statue of the reclining Buddha, the sacred temple, where pilgrims go every year, the river of a thousand lingams and the most picturesque waterfall in Cambodia.

The cost of visiting Phnom Kulen is $ 20 (paid separately from the general ticket to Angkor), located 55 km from Siem Reap. You can only get there by taxi or rented car.

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A map of the city of Siem Reap showing landmarks, including Angkor Wat and some important infrastructure.

Only some one and a half centuries ago, the great discovery of Angkor, lost in the jungles of Cambodia, took place. Today it is one of the most interesting places on our planet.

Temple history

The first mention of huge stone structures dates back to 1601. Then Marcelo Ribandeiro from Spain accidentally stumbled upon the strange temple of Angkor Wat in the jungles of Cambodia. The Khmers living on this land could not build stone structures, the mystery of the origin of the temple arose, for which the missionary had to turn to the locals. But even they could not satisfy the interest of Ribandeiro that had arisen. This once again reinforced the idea that there was a completely different civilization here long before the Khmers, the legacy of which was Angkor. In this temple city, no one lived except for animals, the locals believed that according to one of the legends, foreigners had to restore the city.

This huge discovery was quickly forgotten. For Europe, the temple of Angkor Wat was of no interest. A new wave of references to this monument began in 1868 after the publication of a book by a traveler from France, Henri Muo.

For a long time, Muo wandered through the jungle, suffered from hunger and disease, until one day he managed to come across a clearing. Three towers loomed against the background of the sky, at first it even seemed to him that these were the beginning of hallucinations. But as he approached the buildings, he realized that he had made a great discovery.

This happened on January 22, 1861. The discovery turned out to be very important. Thus, a stage appeared in Cambodian history - the era of the Angkor civilization. And the towers of Angkor are fixed on the flag and coat of arms of Cambodia.

legendary palace

In ancient times, the Cambodian state of Chenla was ruled by Jayavarman II. This man is credited with the creation of the Angkor Empire. And his successor Suryavarman II (1113-1150) just built the temple of Angkor Wat.

The temple was built for the god Vishnu. But in fact it was the sanctuary and tomb of King Suryavarman II. In the empire of Angkor, there was the worship of the king, who was considered the incarnation of a great deity. And the temple of Angkor itself was considered his heavenly home on earth.

There is a whole legend about the construction of the temple. So one of the rulers had a son, Preah Ket Mealea. God Indra liked this young man, and he invited him to his heaven. Preah Ket Meala fell in love with this place, but he especially liked the magnificent palace with five towers. But all good things come to an end sooner or later, the tevoda (divine dancers) became worried about the appearance of a divine spirit in heaven, violating its harmony. They told Indra about this and he had to bring the prince back to earth. And the deity decided to build the beloved palace on earth. The place for construction was indicated by the bull Nandin, and Preah Pushnuk was chosen as the head of the construction. The best craftsmen from all over the world were gathered, so Angkor Wat was built.

Description of the temple

The temple is located in the center of a vast complex that unites about 200 other temples. The temple is surrounded by a moat that fills up during the rainy season. In the reflection of the water, the temple looks like the sacred Mount Meru, surrounded by the world's oceans. And so it was conceived by the great builders.

Angkor Wat is surrounded by a wall and the visitor enters through the main portal. Three towering terraces appear before his eyes. The first is at a height of 3.5 meters, the second - 7, the third - 13. In terms of the terrace, they are decreasing squares. There are five towers on the upper terrace - four in the corners and one in the center, rising to 65 meters. Due to the orientation of the temple, when approaching from either side, only three towers are visible.

Calculations show that the number of stones in Angkor Wat corresponds to the number of stones involved in the construction of the Egyptian pyramid of Khafre. But since the stones in Angkor have a deep artistic processing, one should only be surprised at the labor expended by the ancient inhabitants of this land.

Image feeds

Of great interest to visitors and researchers of the temple is the carving of the temple. Carved images here stretch for kilometers, the like can not be seen anywhere else in the world. Indian mythology is combined with real historical characters, you can compare this miracle with famous paintings of the Renaissance.

In 1973 the war began. In the temple was located the shelter of the Popotovites. Many images were destroyed, there are traces of bullets, but the temple was still able to survive. The restoration work carried out was able to revive the great wonder of the world Angkor Wat, and again give the beauty of ancient architecture to thousands of tourists.

Video about Angkor Wat

Our reader Igor M. continues the story of his trip to Cambodia. Today we will talk about the main attraction of this country, the great and mysterious temple complex of Angkor Wat.

Continuation. Read the beginning of the story about the trip to Cambodia here:

So Angkor. Angkor is the capital city of the Khmer Empire. It was there that the most grandiose and famous monuments were preserved - Angkor Wat, Bayon and Angkor Thom. Angkor Wat is the pride of Cambodia, a huge temple complex or temple city. They have it depicted on all coats of arms, flags and emblems. This complex is considered the largest religious building in the world.

Angkor was built from the 11th to the 13th century (each ruler built something and tried to surpass the rest). It was built of stone, although in those days only places of worship were built from it. Poor Khmer peasants lived in huts, rulers lived in wooden palaces (naturally, such buildings have not been preserved), but stone structures still stand to this day.

In the morning I woke up in a four-star hotel, we were fed and taken on an excursion to this very Angkor. A ticket is required to visit Angkor. To do this, each tourist is photographed and after a couple of seconds they return an individual ticket with a photo - it is on a ribbon and is worn around the neck. But now all the formalities have been completed and we arrive at Angkor Wat!

The temple complex of Angkor Wat was actively restored during our visit. It can be seen that some parts are covered with a green veil.

Angkor Wat temple complex: a great city lost in the jungle

The spectacle is very interesting. The temple complex of Angkor Wat is very well preserved. The fact is that the temple is surrounded by a square moat-reservoir, only a narrow strip of land is a passage to the territory of the complex. That is why the jungle could not swallow Angkor Wat, although this grand structure was forgotten for hundreds of years! It has not been used since the 15th century, all this time there were some legends that there was a temple city in the jungle, but they were not particularly believed in. And only in 1861, the French naturalist Henri Muo heard from a Catholic missionary that there was a lost city deep in the jungle. He became very interested (according to the missionary, the structure was huge) and went into the jungle in search of it. As a result, Muo rediscovered Angkor after four centuries of neglect. Many of Muo's contemporaries could not believe that somewhere such a grandiose structure as Angkor Wat could be lost and forgotten.

It should be noted that regardless of the religion professed (Hinduism or Buddhism), all the ancient rulers of Cambodia wanted to be revered as living gods and planted the cult of Devaraja - the god-king. And in order to strengthen this cult, all forces were thrown into the construction of temples, monuments and other structures designed to glorify these kings. This explains such a huge number of temple complexes.

In the photo - one of the towers of the temple of Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is the most famous of these complexes. It began to be built by King Suryavarman II, who was a Hindu and considered himself the incarnation of the god Vishnu (although the next ruler, like the rest of the generations of Cambodians, was already a Buddhist). The then population of Angkor was one million - perhaps, in those days it was the largest city in our galaxy. Almost all residents participated in the construction of the temple complex. In many ways, this is why Angkor Wat turned out to be really grandiose. Moreover, it was not at all intended for the assembly of believers - the building served as the abode of the gods, and the king and the top of the political and religious elite had access there. Later, according to the orientation of the entrance to the temple, scientists found that it was originally intended for the future burial of the ruler. It turns out that Suryavarman II, during his thirty-year reign, built a temple-tomb for himself, and by the time of his death in 1150 it was 99% ready.

During his lifetime, the courtiers in every way extolled Suryavarman II and called him the "Sun King". According to legend, he, like the Sun, could make lotus buds bloom and make everything around prosperous. In fact, he left behind a country that was actually devastated by such a grandiose construction. But at the same time he went down in history as the "Michelangelo of the East" and the creator of the great Angkor Wat.

Stairway to the center of the universe

A few architectural details. As I said, the temple complex of Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat, and you can enter it through a narrow isthmus. The whole complex is surrounded by a rectangular wall, inside it there is a huge territory, and in the center there is a stone platform on which Angkor Wat is built.

So, we are approaching the most important thing! At first, buildings flanked the road, which (according to our guide) were called libraries. As far as I understood, these were not libraries at all in our understanding - the king and the nobility did not register there, did not go there with their subscriptions and did not receive any scrolls with manuscripts there, and strict librarian monks did not go to debtors who did not return the manuscript to the proper time. They were just some ritual buildings.

Library at the entrance to the temple complex of Angkor Wat.

Having passed along the road along various buildings inland, we came to the main part of the complex - the temple. The stone temple of Angkor Wat is simply grandiose!

Angkor Wat, the outer wall of the building stands on a stone platform.

All walls are decorated with engravings - scenes of battles are carved in stone.

Another wall with battle scenes.

Many battle scenes were taken from the legends of Hindu mythology. In particular, the battle of Vishnu with the heavenly devil Banna was depicted. Each engraved wall is approximately 800 meters. Moreover, as experts note, the further, the more the technique of the masters improved and the better the drawings were. Although some of the engravings may have depicted the usual battles of those times - then many peoples fought to gain control over the fertile territory of the Mekong River.

Behind the battle walls is the central part of the temple:

On the right is the outer wall of the temple, and on the left begins Angkor Wat itself.

In those days, everything was built without cement - stone blocks were brought from afar, the stones were precisely adjusted. As I have already said, the Angkor Wat temple complex was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, so its design reflects Hindu ideas about the structure of the world. Then it was believed that in the center of the universe is Mount Kailash (it is located in the middle of an endless ocean) - gods and goddesses live there. Kailash is surrounded by four smaller mountains. The temple complex of Angkor Wat was built in accordance with these ideas: in the central part in the middle there is a huge tower, and around it there are four smaller towers.

The temple occupies several floors (the staircase to the upper floor is visible on the left), and only the king and members of his family could enter the uppermost floor. As it turned out, I could too 🙂 These levels also correspond to the then people's ideas about the structure of the world and symbolize the lower world, the world of people and the heavenly world.

Heavenly Apsara dancers on the walls of Angkor Wat. Cute, right?

And on this wall are depicted apsaras - mythical celestial dancers. By the way, in the temple of Angkor Wat there were also real dancers depicting apsaras who entertained the king. And on the left we see windows - there was no glass then, so the windows were stone - such carved mini-columns, sunlight passed through the cutouts.

According to ancient images of apsara dancers on the walls of the temple, 36 different styles of hairstyles were counted. So there were women of fashion in those ancient times, and even what!

Tourists climb the central tower, that is, in the very center of the world. Previously, no one would let ordinary mortal people go there 🙂

Here is a view of the entrance to Angkor Wat from one of the towers.

Unraveling the mystery of ancient dance

After climbing the main tower (that is, to the very center of the universe), we were given a lot of time to walk around and see everything ourselves. I went and suddenly saw… Apsara. They stood and were bored. Eh, Apsaras, should we be sad?

Apsaras stand and get bored.

Well, what kind of business is this - bored. Gotta dance! Well, let's all get together!

Quite another matter! True, all of them have fingers folded in some bizarre way and symbolize something, but my fingers do not bend like that in principle and can only symbolize complete ignorance in ancient dances. But I decided for myself that participation is the main thing in Khmer dance 🙂 Therefore, nothing spoiled my good mood.

As I wrote in a previous article, for an ordinary European, these dances look rather strange - the movements are very smooth, the posture hardly changes, and only the hands do such pirouettes, as if they were exposed to forty degrees of frost. In our bus, everyone began to discuss this important topic and together they found a simple explanation for this - they dance sober! Apparently, in those days they didn’t bring alcohol to the ancient Khmers 🙂 Not like in our discos!

So they, the poor fellows, could only chew betel. And even now it is chewed in those parts - it is believed that a tenth of humanity regularly consumes it. Palm seeds and slaked lime are wrapped in a betel leaf (a local plant from the genus of peppers) and chewed, resulting in a certain feeling of euphoria. And at the same time, addiction, similar to tobacco or drugs. True, saliva from this becomes red, and teeth become black, and it is difficult to clean them from blackness, therefore lovers of chewing betel go with black teeth. Now, having adopted the European fashion for white teeth, people in the cities do not use it. But in the poor provinces, many still chew - they sit, eat, spit red saliva through black teeth and they don’t need anything else (like “our” alcoholics).

Exit from the temple complex.

Temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, is the largest temple complex on our planet dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It is located on the territory of the historical complex of Angkor, which is included in the UNESCO heritage. Such a legacy left us from distant ancestors: the Khmer tribes, because this building was rebuilt around 1113-1250 AD during the reign of King Suryavarman II. The construction of the temple lasted for almost 30 years, and the entire complex was rebuilt for almost 400 years.

Tourists from all over the world rush to this building, unique in its beauty and grandeur, every day not only to learn the basics of Hinduism, to bow to the gods, but also to see the history of Cambodia and the Khmer peoples with their own eyes.

How to get there?

Before you get to Angkor Wat, you will have to fly to Cambodia. There are no direct flights from Russian cities to Cambodia, so you can only get here with transfers.

In the city of Siem Reap, in the immediate vicinity of which the ruined city of Angkor is located, there is an international airport that receives flights from China, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and some other Asian countries. The most popular flight is Siem Reap - Bangkok, but this flight will cost a fairly large amount, so it is much cheaper to get with two or three transfers through Vietnam or China, or fly to the capital of Cambodia, and then move on a public bus or taxi.

If you plan to fly to the city of Siem Reap, and then stay in a hotel in the city for a few days, then book a room in advance. Thus, you will ensure yourself a free transfer from the airport to the hotel and back.

From the capital - the city of Phnom Penh - can be reached by water. Such a trip is also a good excursion that allows you to get acquainted with the local way of life and way of life. Tickets for water transport are purchased at hotels at the reception or at travel agencies. Estimated travel time is about 6 hours.

The city of Siem Reap can be reached by bus. Moreover, communication is well organized here both within the country and with neighboring states (Thailand, Vietnam). The cheapest tickets for Cambodian flights.

If you do not want to think about how to get to the sights of Cambodia, then many travel agencies in our country have exotic excursions both to the main historical sites of Cambodia and separately to the ancient city of Angkor. You can take a two-three day tour and not worry about anything else, enjoying a trip to a distant and mysterious Asian country.

temple complex

Angkor temple complex- the main attraction of Cambodia - is not limited to Angkor Wat temple alone. On the gigantic area that it occupies, 208 hectares, there are still a large number of interesting historical buildings, because the ancient city of Angkor was a rather large settlement, in which more than 100,000 people lived. True, residential buildings have not survived to this day, because they were built of wood. The ruined city is located about 5 kilometers from the main temple of Angkor Wat. Smaller temples, which were built from tuff and sandstone, have also been preserved there: Ta Phrom, Angkor Thom, Ta Prum, Bayon, the terrace of elephants and Preah Kan.

The territory of the complex is fenced around the perimeter with a laterite wall, on the outside of which a ditch 250 meters wide was dug, which can be crossed along a special sandstone paved path 250 meters long and 12 meters wide.

Excursion program options

Those who build the itinerary for an excursion around Angkor are sure to be interested in the Big and Small excursion circle. Each circle begins with an inspection of the most important temple of Angkor Wat.

The small circle is the most common, popular, considered classic route for visiting the Angkor temple complex, which is chosen by those who have only one day to see the world landmark. If you look at the tour map of Angkor Wat, then this route is marked in green.

In the case when you move around the Small Circle, you can see the following temples:

Angkor Thom (a complex of more than a dozen of the largest temples in the central part);

Phnom Bakeng;

Baxey Chamkrong.

The length of the Small Circle is about 17 kilometers.

The Big Circle is a 25-kilometer excursion program (the path is marked in red), which usually takes place on the second day. In this case, you will also start moving from Angkor Wat and completely repeat the route of the Small Circle to the Bayon Temple, and then head north to inspect the following buildings:

Pre Rup;

Neak Pean;

Preah Kan;

Eastern Mebon.

After visiting them, according to guidebooks and reviews, you will again move to the Small Circle and return to the main temple of Angkor. Moving in a big circle, you will be moving between attractions more than moving on foot.

On the third day, the most distant temples of Angkor usually remain, which are sometimes quite problematic to get to, especially if you have not rented a transport, because many of them are located at a distance of about 50-70 kilometers from the main complex. If you have three days, then it will be most convenient to move along the routes already established by tourists.

In the event that you have more time, you can independently develop daily excursion routes, change temple visits and generally do everything the way you like.

What to look out for

No matter how much you want, it is impossible not to see the main attraction of the complex - Angkor Wat. This temple-mountain rises above the rest of the buildings in the very center of the complex. You can recognize it by its five knobby towers. It is believed that all five peaks are always visible from any point. This is the most visited temple of Angkor. Tourists always crowd here in search of beautiful and unusual views for photos.

The second most popular building is the local Library. In front of the library there is a small pond where you can relax during the tour.

Ta-Pkhrom is another visited and favorite place for tourists. This is a temple-monastery, which has a rather strange layout. At present, the territory of this building is heavily overgrown, and not just with grass, but with centuries-old trees with powerful branched trunks. Ta-Pkhrom has been trying to clear the vegetation and make it more accessible for tourists for almost a hundred years, but the jungle does not want to leave this place. Everyone who has visited Ta-Phrom leaves rave reviews about this romantic and seemingly abandoned temple.

Bas-relief galleries are considered another popular object that collects laudatory reviews. There are eight of them in the area around Angkor Wat (two on each side) and the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas that stands out separately. Each gallery is distinguished from the others by impressive floor-to-ceiling bas-reliefs that are never repeated. In the Hall of the Thousand Buddhas, as it is already becoming clear, there are bas-reliefs, statues and images of the Buddha in various versions and all kinds of sizes.

The most interesting bas-reliefs, attracting the attention of thousands of tourists and constantly gathering crowds of people around them, refer to the mystical and mysterious themes of hell and paradise on earth: Churning of the Milky Ocean, Gallery of Hell and Paradise, Battle of the Gods, etc.

What is the price?

Since a visit to the complex of temples is most often planned for several days, there are several types of entrance tickets here. So, you can buy a ticket for a day trip for $20.

Those wishing to stay longer on the territory of Angkor purchase a ticket for a three-day tour for $40. The ticket is valid for a week, so you can enter the territory of the temple complex not for three days in a row, but to split the visit according to a convenient schedule.

You can also buy a weekly visit to the complex for $70 (ticket is valid for a month).

Schedule

Angkor is open to visitors daily from 05.00 to 18.00. If you want to see the sunrise, you must be inside before 05.30 hours, if the sunset - before 17.30 hours. Tickets stop selling one hour before the official closing time. If you enter the territory of the complex, then no one will kick you out and you can walk here longer. True, too long a stay on the territory of the complex may result in a remark from the police or even a fine for violating the order.

If you have such an opportunity, then visit Angkor Wat twice: once at dawn and the other at sunset. It is in the dawn and sunset rays that you will receive the greatest aesthetic satisfaction from what you see. Of course, you can come here at any time, but this way you cannot say that you have seen everything that Angkor Wat has to offer us.

The temple complex is very large, so when planning an excursion in this direction, set aside at least one day for it.

Since the temple complex is currently considered inactive, there are no strict rules regarding the dress code, but inappropriate clothing (short skirts / shorts, bare shoulders / knees) will still not let you into the main temple.

Many monkeys live on the territory of the complex, so you should be extremely careful, because primates steal everything that is bad, especially hats, food, cameras and mobile phones.
Going on a tour, be sure to take enough drinking water with you, as the weather in Cambodia is always hot, so everything around is hot and you are constantly thirsty, especially at noon. Also take something to eat if you don't want to spend time looking for a place to eat, which are not many here.

If time permits, then inspect Angkor out of order, but, starting with smaller temples, only at the very end get to the main temple of the complex - Angkor Wat.

Do not fall for the tricks of beggars at the entrance if you do not want to lose a lot of money. By submitting a dollar to one, you will activate a chain reaction and local children will come running to you from all over. It's better to say "no" right away. If you start serving, and then stop abruptly and someone is left deprived, this will cause aggression.

Try not to visit Angkor during festivals. If you believe the reviews, these days there are too many people here, including local Khmers, who come here absolutely free.