The most famous temple in Cambodia. Location of the religious center. The list of distant temples of Angkor and the approximate distance to them from the city of Siem Reap

When you look at Angkor Wat, its openwork towers and walls depicting mythical animals and dancing celestials, you begin to understand why the locals are convinced that this temple was built by the gods as a sign of friendship between a god and a human prince.

One day, the god Indra, who lived on Mount Meru, invited Prince Preah Ket Mealea to visit (the name of the young man translates as Divine Radiance, which was given to him because he was surprisingly good-looking and at the same time possessed many talents). To say that the prince liked the heavenly halls is to say nothing. And the palace, on the walls of which mythical animals were depicted, with lotus-shaped towers and golden peaks, simply conquered him.

Preah Ket Mealea and Indre became friends, and the young man lived for a long time in the god's house. And he would hardly have left him if the tevoda, heavenly dancers, had not spoken out against his presence: the prince, who arrived from the human world, despite all his perfections, carried with him all his temptations, which greatly embarrassed their peace and beckoned. To keep peace in his house, the god asked his friend to return home, promising him to build a copy of his palace on earth.

temple of the gods

The temple of Angkor Wat is located in the Kingdom of Cambodia, in the south of the Indochina peninsula (on the geographical map of the world, this temple can be found at the following coordinates: 13° 24′ 45″ N, 103° 52′ 0″ E). It is located among the jungle, 240 km from Phnom Pei, the capital of the country, five and a half kilometers north of the city of Siampriap (you can get here by bus from Phnom Penh in just five hours).

Angkor Wat (translated as "Temple City") was built at the beginning of the XII century. in the capital of the Khmer state of Angkor, by order of the ruler Suryavarman II, and was originally dedicated to the supreme god of Hinduism, Vishnu. This temple is one of the largest religious buildings in the world, since its area occupies about 2 km², while the length is 1.5 thousand, and the width is 1.3 thousand meters.

Despite the fact that the size of the temple complex of the ancient Kingdom of Cambodia cannot but amaze, in reality there is nothing surprising here: the territory of the city of Angkor exceeded 400 km², and recent studies suggest that about half a million people could well live here.

Therefore, it was one of the largest cities of its time, in which architecture and art were very well developed: more than two hundred monuments have been discovered on its territory today - pavilions, temples, palaces, pyramids and tombs, among which are huge temple complex Angkor Wat. The sanctuary, according to the plan of the builders, was supposed to symbolize Meru, the sacred mountain of the Khmers: the towers are the top of the mountain, the walls of the temple are rocks, and the moat is the ocean that surrounds the Universe.

Temple construction

The history of the construction of Angkor Wat began during the time of Suryavarman II, who ruled from 1113 to 1150. He did not wait for the completion of construction work, and the complex was completed after the death of the ruler: his tomb was found in the sanctuary (there is nothing surprising in the fact that the tomb was arranged on the territory of the shrine, since the Khmers were convinced that their ruler was the incarnation of God, and the erected temple was considered his heavenly home on Earth).

Scientists claim that the construction of the Vishnu temple took the same amount of stones as the construction of the Khafre pyramid - about 5 million tons.

Much more effort was invested, since absolutely all the stone blocks were subjected to artistic processing (on all surfaces, columns, lintels and even roofs one or another story related to the life of the Khmers is depicted) - a fact that cannot but surprise and clearly shows not only the skill level of the ancient builders, but also their industriousness.

Stone blocks were brought from the quarries located on the Kulen plateau (on the map it is located forty kilometers north of Angkor Wat, so the Siem Reap River was used to get there). To fix them together, the builders did not use mortars: the blocks were so tightly fitted to each other that the seams between them in some places cannot be found.

Temple city from the outside

Angkor Wat is located in the center of a vast complex, which consists of two hundred other places of worship. Its outer wall is surrounded by a moat, which was filled to the brim with water during the rainy season. Its width was 190 m - such dimensions of the reservoir are not accidental, since it is a symbol of the oceans. In the west, the builders erected a stone dam, on top of which they paved the road leading to the temple - this entrance is central. You can also get into the territory of the temple from the east side along the earthen embankment.

Immediately behind the moat, the outer wall began, the length of which was 1024 m, the width was 802 meters, and the height was about 4.5 m. through which it was possible to get to the territory of the temple complex.

Near the tower on the south side there was a statue of Vishnu, and the largest group was installed from the central entrance, in the west, and consisted of three towers. All the towers were interconnected by patterned walls: in the west they are decorated with bas-reliefs depicting dancing figures, and in the east - men who dance on the backs of jumping animals, as well as beings with a divine nature, devatas.

Temple city from the inside

From the central city to the temple can be reached by a road, the length of which is 350 meters, along which there is a balustrade with sculptures of seven-headed snakes. Angkor Wat itself looks very interesting, as it consists of three square-shaped terraces located on top of each other, each of which is somewhat smaller than the previous one.

The first tier is located at a height of 3.5 meters, the second - seven, the third - thirteen. Due to the difference in height, the ancient masters managed to achieve an interesting effect: as you approach the temple, it not only increases in size, but also seems to grow.

The terraces are connected to each other by a huge number of stairs, and each level is surrounded by a gallery. The walls, located on the first tier, are decorated with two-meter bas-reliefs depicting mythology and everyday scenes from the life of the Khmers.

About two thousand sculptures of dancing celestials are depicted on the walls of the second tier - they all differ from each other: they all have different facial expressions, different figures, and decorations. According to archaeologists, the total area of ​​sculptures and bas-reliefs created from sandstone, which depict scenes from Indian mythology, the history of the Khers, their gods, is more than 2 thousand square meters. m.

The upper terrace is reached by an extremely steep staircase with narrow and high steps. There are five lotus-shaped towers here (outwardly, they very much resemble cones). Four towers are located at the corners, the highest, which depicts Mount Meru, is in the center. Its height is about forty-two meters, but since it is located on the third terrace, the total height of the temple is 65 meters.

History of the Temple City

In 1431, the army of the neighboring state of Siam, having attacked Angkor, completely destroyed the city, forcing the inhabitants to leave it - and the history of the existence of one of the largest settlements of the ancient world came to an end, and the jungle was reliably covered with its vegetation, leaving only legends and various legends to the locals (however, it was not completely abandoned - quite soon Buddhist monks settled in it).

European travelers sometimes accidentally discovered it during their travels, but failing to turn it into a discovery of public interest, they retreated - and they forgot about the city again for a long time.

This continued until, in 1861, the Frenchman Henri Muo could not get to Angkor Wat, who, having instantly appreciated the find, was able to popularize it in the West - and a new milestone in the history of Angkor began: after he was freed from the jungle, he never ceased to attract the attention of not only scientists, archaeologists and researchers, but also a huge number of tourists.

In the 70s of the last century, a war broke out in the Kingdom of Cambodia - and archaeologists were forced to leave the country, and the temple complex ended up in the hands of the Khmer Rouge, communists who were especially cruel: having come to power, they were trying to build socialism in the country, they executed several million people. They did not forget to get to Angkor Wat - believing that the country should be freed from the influence of religion, they decapitated and mutilated almost all the sculptures where the gods were depicted.

Fortunately, the unique complex managed to survive - and in the early 90s, restoration work was resumed, and the city itself and the temple complex were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992.

Story

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire for over 600 years, from 802 to 1432. During this time, the empire saw ups and downs, constant wars with neighbors: Vietnam, Siam (by Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar). Between the wars, the rulers directed their efforts to the construction of more and more temples. The temples that can be seen today are just not most of huge powerful empire. It is hard to believe, but at a time when European capitals were small settlements and, for example, no more than 40,000 people lived in all of Paris, the population of Angkor was almost a million inhabitants! The reason why only temples remained from a million-strong metropolis is simple: only “god-kings” and priests were allowed to live in stone structures, and mere mortals built their dwellings from wood, which did not survive to this day.

Until 802, Cambodia was a disparate principality. King Jayavarman II managed to unite the country into a single empire. He declared himself "God-King" and built a huge temple on the top of Phnom Kulen hill, symbolizing the dwelling of Shiva, on the legendary Mount Meru, in the center of the universe. Thus began the architectural “race for fame”, which gave us the beauties that we can admire today.

King Indravarman I (877-889) built an artificial lake and the temple of Pre-Ko. The lake was the beginning of an irrigation system that allowed Angkor not to depend on the vagaries of nature when irrigating the land. King's son, Yasovarman I (889-910) , continued the work of his father, creating his own mountain-temple Phnom Bakeng, from which today tourists admire the sunset over Angkor Wat. After the death of Yasovarman I, the capital briefly moved to Ko Ker, a city 80 km from Angkor. Already in 944, Angkor again became the center of power of the kings of Rajendravarman IV. (944-968) , who built Pre Rup, and Jayavarman V (968-1001) who created the temples of Ta-Keo and Banteay Srei.

Most large pearls Angkor, the temples of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, were built during the city's classical heyday. The first king of this period, Suryavarman II (1112-1152) , managed to significantly strengthen the empire and spread the influence of the Khmers to nearby countries. He, unlike other kings, worshiped not Shiva, but the supreme deity Vishnu, to whom he dedicated the most majestic of all Angkor temples - Angkor Wat. By that time, serious problems began in Angkor itself: the city was overpopulated, there was not enough water, and the surrounding lands were depleted. The construction of the temple undermined the economy of the capital. In 1177, the inhabitants of the kingdom of Cham - vassals of the Khmer empire - rebelled, captured and destroyed Angkor. Four years later, King Jayavarman VII (1181-1218) drove out the Chams. The walled city of Angkor Thom was built on the site of old Angkor. Jayavarman VII built many temples, including Bayon, a temple-mountain with faces facing in all directions. Jayavarman VII was the first king of Cambodia who worshiped not Hindu gods, but the Buddha.

After the death of Jayavarman VII, the empire fell into decay, Buddhism was forgotten and many Buddhist statues were destroyed. The Khmer Empire was never able to regain its former power.

In 1351 and 1431, the Thais sacked Angkor, taking gold and art with them. The center of power in Southeast Asia has shifted to Thailand. The capital of Cambodia was moved to Phnom Penh, and Angkor was abandoned.

In the 1860s, the French traveler and botanist Henri Muo stumbled upon a monastery on the territory of Angkor, then under the control of Thailand. Descriptions majestic temples in the jungles of Cambodia appeared before, but only after the publication of the discovery of Anri Muo, the eyes of Europeans turned to Angkor.

In 1907, Angkor was returned to Cambodia. Travelers, adventurers, archaeologists, historians flocked here, and Angkor gradually became one of the main attractions of Southeast Asia. The restoration of the temples was a major task. Most of them, except for Angkor Wat, were heavily overgrown with jungle, sometimes so much so that it was impossible to clean the temple without damaging it. A dispute flared up to what extent the temples should be restored, whether later additions should be removed, such as Buddhist images in Hindu temples, etc. In 1920, it was decided to restore the temples using the anastylosis method. The idea of ​​the method was that the restoration took place using only those materials that were used in the original construction, as well as to preserve the original structure of the temples. Modern materials were allowed to be used only if the originals were lost.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, most of the temples were restored. The Khmer Rouge almost did not damage Angkor, but restoration work was suspended and the jungle attacked the temples with renewed vigor. After the fall of the Pol Pot regime, work continued, and in 2003 UNESCO considered it possible to remove Angkor from the list cultural heritage under threat.

A small dictionary for a better understanding of the description of temples

Gods

• Brahma is the main of the three primary gods of the Hindu trinity, the "creator".
• Shiva is one of the three primary gods of the Hindu trinity, the "destroyer".
• Vishnu is one of the three primary gods of the Hindu trinity, the "protector".
• Krishna is the eighth reincarnation of Vishnu, usually depicted in blue, most often with a flute.
• Lakshmi is the wife of Vishnu, the goddess of beauty and wealth.
• Parvati is the wife of Shiva, she is also Shakti or Durga, the goddess of power.

Mythical creatures

• Asura is a demon.
• Rakshas is a demon.
• Yakshas are the inhabitants of the underworld.
• Apsara - heavenly nymph, dancer.
• Devata is a demigoddess.
• Nag - naga snake.
• Garuda - half man, half eagle. The mount of Vishnu.

Architectural and geographical terms

• Banteay is a fortress or citadel.
• Barai is an artificial reservoir.
• Boeng is a lake.
• Gopura is a gate tower in the temple enclosure of Hindu temples. Serves as an entrance to the temple complex.
• Linga (Lingam)- a phallic symbol that looks like an unfinished circle, from the center of which a stone rod protrudes vertically - the symbol of the god Shiva.
• Phnoma - hill or mountain.
• Prasat - tower.
• Preah is sacred.
• Wat - temple or pagoda.

Temples of Angkor

The temples of Angkor are perhaps the most impressive site in all of Southeast Asia. The ancient Khmer kings spared no expense to outdo their predecessors, and each successive temple was bigger, better, and more elegant than the last.

The gem of a visit to Angkor is the magnificent temple of Angkor Wat (Angkor Wat). The profile of its spiers has practically become a symbol of Cambodia. Angkor Wat consists of five central towers of shrines, three rectangular galleries, increasing in height towards the center, surrounded by a 190 m wide moat of water. The overall profile imitates a lotus bud. From the entrance gate, on the western side, an alley with a fence decorated with seven-headed snakes leads to the Temple.

The first gallery, this is the outer wall above the moat, has square columns on the outer side and closed walls on the inner side. The ceiling between the pillars of the outer facade is decorated with rosettes in the form of a lotus, and the inner one is decorated with figures of dancers. The bas-reliefs on the walls of the three galleries depict scenes from various mythological stories and historical events. Here you can see scenes from the battles of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the image of the army of Suryavarman II, the churning of the ocean by demons and gods, the victory of Vishnu over demons and scenes of various mythical battles.

From the first gallery a long alley leads to the second. You can climb the platform by stairs, decorated on both sides with figures of lions. The inner walls of the second gallery are covered with images of apsaras, celestial maidens.

The third gallery covers five Towers, which crown the highest terrace. The very steep stairs make it difficult to ascend to the realm of the gods. The walls of this gallery are carved with motifs of snakes, the bodies of which end in the mouths of lions.

The Temple Stones, as smooth as polished marble, were laid without any adhesive mortar. The building material is sandstone, which was brought from Mount Kulen, a quarry about 40 km to the northeast. Almost all surfaces, columns and even roof lintels are carved in stone.

The Indian Archaeological Society, between 1986 and 1992, carried out restoration work at Angkor. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Angkor Thom - great city surrounded by a high eight-meter wall. Each side of the wall is 3 km long, outside the wall is protected by a wide 100-meter moat filled with water. It is believed that during the heyday of the empire, about a million people lived here. Angkor Thom was built by King Jayavarman VII (1181-1218) after he recaptured Angkor from the Cham warriors who captured it. Angkor Thom can be accessed through one of the five large gates, each gate leading to a bridge built over a moat. It is best to enter through the most beautiful south gate. There are 108 stone sculptures on the bridge, guarding the city, 54 devatas on the right (deities), left 54 ​​asura (demon). Devatas and asuras supported the many-headed naga (snake)- Khmer symbol of the rainbow, the bridge between earth and heaven. In front of a row of statues are nagas, whose seven heads are ready to pour out deadly poison. Above the gate there are four stone faces looking in different directions.

bayon

Bayon - a temple complex in the center of Angkor Thom, built in honor of Jayavarman VII. The temple has three levels and is surrounded by three walls. The main part of the decor of the temple is the image of everyday life of the Khmers. There is also a blank wall 4.5 meters high, which depicts scenes of Jayavarman VII's victory over the Chams in the battle on Tonle Sap Lake.

In 1925, the temple was recognized as a Buddhist sanctuary, and in 1928, thanks to the efforts of F. Stern and J. Sedes, it was correctly dated.

In 1933, a Buddha statue was found in the foundation well, in whose features there was an outward resemblance to Jayavarman VII and which, during the Brahminist restoration (immediately after the death of Jayavarman VII) was defiled. It has been restored and installed on a terrace in the east of Khleang South.

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Bapuon

After enjoying the wonderful atmosphere of Bayon, you can go to the neighboring Bapuon temple (Baphuon). For a long time, only a construction site could be seen here. Only two years ago, this ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva was opened to the public. Several decades of restoration work in the temple was called "assembling one of the most difficult puzzles" in the world.

In ancient times, Bapuon Temple was one of the most beautiful buildings in Angkor. However, by the early 1950s, it was on the verge of complete destruction. A restoration team led by French archaeologists decided that the only way to save the temple was to take it apart to strengthen the foundation and then reassemble the building. In the early 60s, the project was launched and Bapuon was dismantled. During the deconstruction, the blocks of the temple were transferred to the surrounding jungle, each block was numbered. In the mid-1970s, the Khmer Rouge came to power and work stopped. As it turned out later, the Khmer Rouge destroyed the documentation for dismantling the temple, and there was no information left in what order to put 300,000 stone blocks. The task was the most difficult - there were no two blocks that would be identical, each stone could only lie in its place. The architects had to rely only on numerous photographs and memories of Cambodian workers. The work was further complicated by the fact that at a later time, in the 10th-16th centuries, a 60-meter unfinished Buddha statue was carved into the wall of the second level, violating the uniform style of the temple. One way or another, today the giant puzzle has been assembled and the main work on the temple has been completed. True, there are still some finishing works left, part of the temple is still covered with scaffolding, this prevents it from being photographed.

A steep staircase with very high steps leads to the top of the temple. If you decide to climb up, do it carefully.

North of Bapuon is the famous Elephant Terrace. (Elephant Terrace), a thick wall 320 meters long, along which images of elephants, lions and garudas are carved - mythical half-humans, half-birds. You can climb the wall and walk along the top or look at the images below. It is better, if time permits, to do both - the images from the inside of the wall, which are only visible from above, are no less interesting. At one time, the terrace served as a platform from which the king and the invited public could observe official ceremonies and conduct a review of the troops. Also on the terrace were traces of pavilions in which the king could receive delegations. There are 5 massive arched entrances leading to the terrace from the Royal Square: three in the central part and one at each end. The eastern and western terraces are decorated with bas-reliefs and statues of garudas and lions, they support the terrace in the manner of the Atlanteans. At Angkor Wat, on the bas-relief of heaven and hell, the same figures support the heavenly palaces. The northern and southern sides are decorated with life-size bas-reliefs of elephants with mahouts. A small Buddha carved on the wall of the central section confirms that the terrace is the work of the Buddhist king Jayavarman VII. The central staircase is decorated in the same way as the gates of Angkor Thom - three elephant heads with trunks forming pillars are crowned with lotuses. The Elephant Terrace has an unusual relief: somewhere the figures protrude quite a bit, and somewhere they protrude very strongly. In some places, the trunks form columns; the remains of stairs have been preserved. This is an impressive sight, the only problem is a lot of tourists clicking cameras.

A little further north is another terrace - Terrace of the Leper King (Terrace of Leper King)- platform seven meters high, 25 meters long. The terrace is part of the Royal Square. On the three outer sides of the terrace, images of gods, demons, mythical nagas and inhabitants are carved in several rows. sea ​​depths. The best images are from the east (front) sides of the terrace. At the top stands a stone figure of a man surrounded on four sides by warriors, from which the terrace got its name. There are several versions of who is depicted on the statue and why it is a leper. According to one, this name was given to the terrace because of the spots of lichen that cover the statue. According to another, numerous chips on the face of the statue led to the idea of ​​leprosy. (they are not on the copy standing today, the original is kept in the museum in Phnom Penh). There is a theory that the statue actually depicted one of the two Cambodian kings who had leprosy. However, the Khmer never depicted kings without clothes. The most common versions are that the statue depicts the god of death Yama, the terrace was used for the cremation of members of the royal family, or that the statue symbolizes the inhabitants of the underworld of the Yakshas.

Legend of the Leper King

A young king reigned in the newly built capital. He became famous in military campaigns and in governing the country, but his heart was cruel. He was hated by everyone except for the four concubines, whose whims were his law. When the women got bored with court life, they wished to go on a journey with him, and the king, without notifying anyone, left the palace. The very next day, strife broke out in the kingdom - two noble nobles began to fight for the throne and launched civil war. During the wanderings, the king and the concubines decided to visit a hermit who predicts the future. When the disguised king appeared before him, he guessed the high rank of the guest and said: “You were a great sovereign, but from now on you will never be called king. Two great armies are fighting to take your throne, and only you can put an end to the strife. But at the zenith of your glory and triumph, you will know the bitterness of life and a terrible fate will befall you. These words shocked the king. After a while, he entered the camp of one of the rebellious nobles, made an alliance with him and led his army. Putting another to flight, he subsequently killed the nobleman with whom he made an alliance. At the head of both armies, the king returned to the capital to restore peace. It was then that the prediction of the hermit came true. When the king was riding a horse through the city, an old woman in tatters unexpectedly plunged a dagger into the chest of the horse - it collapsed, and the old woman rushed at the king and pressed herself against him with her flabby body. The king was released from this embrace, and the woman fell, wounded by a thousand blows. The old woman took revenge, but a few years ago her daughter was kidnapped and imprisoned in the royal harem. She was a leper and infected the king. Leprosy developed rapidly, everyone left him, except for four concubines. He lost his right to the throne and had to live outside the palace, doomed to despair and starvation. In the legendary history of Cambodia, this king is identified with Prince Preah Tong, who came from India to marry the daughter of the king of Naga, he allegedly founded the first capital of Cambodia - the city of Angkor Thom.

Inside Angkor Thom there are also several small temples and chapels. An interesting one is Tep Pranam (Tep Pranam)- a large open terrace in the form of a cross with a statue of a huge Buddha sitting on a lotus in the pose "calling the earth to witness", made of stone blocks. The statue reaches a height of 6 meters and is located on a lined pedestal 1 meter high. Built from used stones, the statue has a rough appearance, the head of the Buddha, "crowned with flames", clearly belongs to a later period. The statue itself dates from the 16th century and was restored in 1950. Nearby is another restored statue of a standing Buddha in a rare “no fear” pose. Nearby is a small monastery where Buddhist nuns live.

This small Buddhist shrine in the woods north of the Terrace of the Leper King at Angkor Thom is attractive enough to warrant a bit of attention when visiting the other monuments on the west side of King's Square. Interestingly, above one gate you can find the Hindu god Indra on his three-headed elephant Airavata, and above the other - "the temptation of Mara with her army of demons" attacking the Buddha, who himself has not survived. This neighborhood is very unusual for the Khmer - it is assumed that the Buddhist images of Preah Pallilaj (Preah Pallilay) managed to escape destruction by the staunch Hindu successors of Jayavarman VII due to their proximity to Thep Pranam and the Saugatashram monastery, whose official status and proximity to the Royal Palace may have saved the precious images and given them sanctity.

Exit Angkor Thom through the south gate. Ahead, a few hundred meters away stands the 67-meter Phnom Bakeng hill (Phnom Bakheng), with the construction of the temple on top of which began the entire development of Angkor. Crowds of tourists used to come here at sunset to take pictures of Angkor Wat in the setting sun. The views remain the same, but now no more than 300 people are allowed upstairs at sunset, so if you want to enjoy the sunset from above, arrive early. The staircase leading to the top is closed for repairs, you can climb up along a winding path from the south side of the hill. For $15, you can climb to the top on an elephant, but as a rule, you need to reserve a place in advance.

Construction of Ta-Keo (Ta Keo) was started in 975 by Jayavarman V (968-1001) . This is the first temple of Angkor built of sandstone. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. For unknown reasons, probably due to the death of the king, he was left unfinished and unpainted - it seems that he escaped from an underground cave, shattering the surrounding jungle. It is known that the temple was originally called Hemasringagiri - "Mountain of Golden Peaks", possibly prasat (towers) the temple was planned to be covered with gold. Ta-Keo is the modern name meaning "tower of crystal".

According to tradition, the main temples were built in the center of the royal city, Jayavarman V broke the tradition by building Ta-Keo not in the center of his capital, but to the north - near East Baray. With a bar (body of water) the temple is connected by an alley for processions with two rows of columns. The temple itself is a 22-meter rectangular pyramid. Conceived as the embodiment of the five peaks of Mount Meru, Ta-Keo has five prasats located in the center of its main tier, and is surrounded by a now dry moat, symbolizing the ocean.

On the first level, on a high plinth, there is a fence measuring 120x105 meters and a blank wall with axial gopuras (gate towers), the main one facing east. The two rectangular buildings are preceded by porticos parallel to the east wall.

The second level rises to a height of 5.6 meters - there is a continuous gallery measuring 79x73 meters with a false stepped brick vault, blind windows taken away by columns from the outside and open windows with columns from the outside. Gopuras are built into the walls with corner towers. The gallery, formed by older rectangular buildings, cannot be entered, testifying to its purely symbolic purpose. Inside the enclosure, two rectangular buildings line the eastern wall, with two "libraries" flanking the driveway. In order to make room for these buildings, the eastern side of the terrace was made wider than all the others. Libraries have an interesting structure: inside they have only one room, but outside, thanks to two lowered semi-cylindrical vaults, resting on the walls around the perimeter, a kind of nave and two aisles are formed. Compared to Angkor's other ornate temples, Ta Keo looks spartan, but that doesn't detract from its unique atmosphere. Steps lead to the very top of the pyramid of the temple. Each step has a height of about 40 cm, while about 10 cm wide, so that the foot can only be placed sideways, holding on to the upper steps. And so 22 meters - the climb is not for the faint of heart, but we strongly advise you to climb up. It is not known whether the Cambodians chose any energy nodes for the construction of their temples, but the feeling of an amazing atmosphere and closeness to the sky is indescribable here. At some point, it becomes unclear whether it is necessary to descend from here back to earth ...

Ta-Prom

Kipling was describing some abandoned temple in India, but this description is just perfect for the Ta-Prom temple. (Ta Prohm)- a huge temple-monastery, swallowed up by the jungle. Of all the temples of Angkor, Ta-Prom is the most poetic, with the most amazing atmosphere created by huge trees that wrap around walls that have sprouted through stones and hang over towers. Over the centuries, the roots have grown together with the walls to such an extent that it is impossible to remove the trees without the buildings collapsing. Ta Prohm was built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist temple. The territory of Ta-Prom is very large, like the territory of Angkor Wat, but the architecture of the temple is completely different from other temples of Angkor. It consists of a chain of one-story long buildings, interconnected by through passages and galleries. In fact, this temple-monastery is a series of concentric galleries with towers and many additional buildings, surrounded by powerful walls. It is known from various sources that there were 39 prasats, 566 stone and 288 brick structures in the temple, in which there were 260 statues of gods.

Many passages are littered with stones and are inaccessible. The uniqueness of Ta-Prom lies in the fact that many ancient inscriptions are carved on the stones here - more than in any other Angkorian temple. On a stone stele, now in the Angkor National Museum, it is written that at the best of times 3140 villages belonged to the temple, 79,365 people worked in the temple, including 18 high priests, 2800 clerks and 615 dancers. More than 12,000 people constantly lived inside the temple. In place of the forest that surrounds the temple today, there was once a large, bustling city, and many treasures were kept in the treasuries of the temple. Now all this is hard to believe, because most of the buildings have turned into ruins. Stones and trees are so intertwined, forming a common ensemble, that sometimes you begin to doubt what served as the basis in this complex - a stone or a tree. There are two varieties of trees: large - banyan (Ceibapentandra) characterized by thick, pale brown roots with a knotty structure, and the smaller one is the strangler fig tree (Ficus gibbosa) with a lot of thin, smooth and gray roots. Usually the seed of the tree falls into a gap in the masonry of the building and the roots grow down to the ground. The roots work their way between the masonry and, as they grow thicker, actually become the frame of the building. When a tree dies or falls during a thunderstorm, the building collapses with it.

French Far East School (Ecole Frangaise d "Extreme-Orient), which is rebuilding Angkor, decided to leave the temple in its "natural state" as an example of how most of Angkor's temples looked when they were opened in the 19th century. Yet Ta-Prom had to be fairly thoroughly cleared of the jungle in order to prevent further destruction and make it possible to visit the temple. To see a truly jungle-conquered temple, visit Beng Mealea Temple (Beng Mealea).

One of the interesting mysteries of Ta-Prom is the image of a stegosaurus carved on the wall, which guides like to lead to. Few people know that there is another image of a dinosaur here, it is almost impossible to find it without a guide, and only experienced guides can show it. Where the ancient Khmers could see the dinosaur and how it ended up on the wall, no one can explain. Ta Prohm's most popular tourist spot is the fig tree roots courtyard where Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed. At this point, the main character picks a jasmine flower and falls into the ground. It would be ideal to walk along Ta-Prom when there are no dense masses of tourists around. Unfortunately, this is almost impossible. The only chance is to come here right at dawn and be the first or be here just before closing, when most tourists are busy contemplating the sunset.

Preah Can

One of major projects Jayavarmana VII, Preah Kan (Preah Khan), was much more than just a temple - it was a Buddhist university with over a thousand teachers, surrounded by a large city. As in Ta-Prom, a stele with information about the temple was found here: the inscriptions reveal the history of its foundation and purpose. The Royal Palace of Yasovarman II previously stood on this site, and the inscription on the stele about the "lake of blood" recalls that the temple was built on the site of a major battle with the Chams, which prevented the capture of Angkor - the king of the Chams was killed in that battle. The city was named Nagara Jayasri in honor of King Jayasri, who became famous in this battle. (in Sanskrit, nagara means "city"), and the modern name Preah-Kan - "Sacred Sword" - is a translation of the name Jayasri from Sanskrit.

If Ta-Prom was dedicated to the mother of Jayavarman VII, then Preah Kan five years later, in 1191, was dedicated to the king's father, Dharanin-dravarman. A statue of the bodhisattva Lokeshvara was created from it. There were 430 minor deities in other chapels in the city. Behind the entrance alley with pillars is a naga bridge, exactly the same as the one that crosses the ditch of Angkor Thom - the bodies of two giant naga snakes on either side of the dam hold a row of devatas (demigods) left and asuras (demons) on right. Unfortunately, the temple's relatively remote location allowed treasure hunters to steal their heads. In general, this kind of giant figures resembles the famous scene in the bas-relief of Angkor Wat "Churning the Milky Ocean". As in Angkor Thom, the nagas take us across the moat - it is likely that here they symbolize the bridge between the world of people and the gods.

The eastern tower of the outer fence has three entrances, the central entrance is the largest, a cart could pass through it. Gorgeous on the walls stone statues giant garudas holding the tail of a naga serpent, their traditional enemy, by the tail. These 5-meter figures are located at 50-meter intervals around the entire perimeter of the fourth environment - there are 72 of them in total, the largest garudas are located at the corners. The gopura of the third enclosure is the largest in Angkor. In front of it is a large cruciform terrace with balustrades of nagas and lions. On the right, the so-called House of Fire is one of the 121 chapels built by Jayavarman VII along the main roads of the empire. All the chapels are built the same way, oriented west to east, with towers on the western exits and windows on the south sides only. From their names on the engravings, one can understand that they were related to the arks with the sacred flame and, possibly, served as staging posts on a ritual journey. The gopura of the third enclosure is the most richly decorated. Its three widely spaced towers and small pavilions at either end are connected by colonnaded galleries on the outer sides. The length of the gopura is 100 meters, there are five entrances in total, as well as a gallery on the left side. The entrance was guarded by two demon guards, today only one of them remains - only the surviving pedestal reminds of the second. Two giant beautiful trees grow between the central and southern towers, their trunks are located at an angle to each other. The trees are very old - there is a great danger that they will fall and seriously damage the masonry.

Immediately behind the gopura, just like in Ta-Prom, there is a large building - the Hall of Dancers (now without a roof). The building consists of four small courtyards, each surrounded by 24 columns, and together they form a gallery. The building got its name from the bas-reliefs of the Apsaras depicted in the dance. Pay attention to the empty niches above the bas-reliefs of dancers. Here at one time there were carved statuettes of Buddhas, they were destroyed during the reign of Jayavarman VIII, the restorer of Hinduism, along with thousands of others throughout Angkor. Inside the galleries of the second enclosure, let your eyes adjust to the darkness and you can admire the finely carved garudas. In the vestibule to the west of the sanctuary there is a lingam - the symbol of Shiva, installed here, probably in the second half of the 13th century.

Immediately behind the gopura of the second enclosure is a small temple of Vishnu with a long pedestal at the eastern entrance, on the pedestal there are holes for three statues and a spout for the ritual of consecrating water, like on a linga. The inscription on the doorpost states that the missing statues depicted Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, and the side surface of the same doorway is decorated with carvings. The west pediment depicts a scene in which Krishna lifts Mount Govardhana. Further, three small rectangular temples surround the temple of the Buddha: the northern one is dedicated to Shiva, the southern one is dedicated to deceased kings and queens, and the western one is Vishnu.

The central sanctuary, as usual, is shifted to the west. The inner walls here are dotted with small holes, which served to fasten bronze facing sheets. The engraved inscriptions of the temple claim that more than 1500 tons were used. In the center is a small stupa added around the 16th century. In the morning, at a certain angle, you can achieve the illusion that the top of the stupa is dazzlingly glowing. Initially, there was a statue made from the father of Jayavarman VII - Jayavarmeshwar, it was probably destroyed by Jayavarman VIII during the restoration of Hinduism in Angkor. As in Ta-Prom, huge trees grow here right on the walls, it is impossible to remove them without damaging the masonry. Nevertheless, Preah Can is much more cleared of the jungle than Ta Prohm.

2.5 km to the east, a narrow path leads to the temple of Neak Pean (Neak Pean), translated "Coiled Serpents". It was built by the same Jayavarman VII in the XII century. This unusual, small by Angkor standards architectural monument with a cruciform arrangement of reservoirs and a sanctuary tower on a round island in the middle is very symbolic. The base of this building, laid out in the form of lotus petals, makes it look like a huge flower that has floated to the surface: however, this can only be seen for a short time - during the rainy season, when the pools are filled with water. At this time, the temple is reflected in the water and is unlike any other. Neak Pean is undoubtedly one of the gems of Khmer art.

There are four identical chapels inside the steps of the central pond. They served to cleanse the pilgrims, who, as can be judged from the bas-reliefs on the pediments, came here in the hope of being cured of illnesses or getting rid of misfortunes. The bas-reliefs on the walls of the chapels depict scenes where the deity stands in the center - the savior Avalokiteshvara: on the one hand, a weak patient crawls along the ground with difficulty, and on the other, the same person straightens up and regains the ability to walk. In the south you can find a number of ling (symbols of Shiva), no doubt part of the "thousand ling" described in the Preah Kan inscriptions.

In the east, a sculptural group, unfortunately badly damaged, represents a horse carrying small men hanging on it. This image is related to a legend taken from a Sanskrit text: the merchant Simhala, along with his companions, went in search of precious stones. A terrible storm sank his ship off the coast of Tamradvipa. (island of Ceylon), and the merchants became the prey of terrible cannibals who threatened to eat them. And then the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara turned into a horse, found himself on the island, and then rose into the air and carried the merchants to the Buddha, saving them from death.

East Mebon

Huge East Baray (reservoir), which surrounds East Mebon (Eastern mebon), is now dry. The reservoir was built by King Yasovarman I almost half a century earlier than the temple to regularly supply water to the new city of Yasodharapura and was 7.5 km long and 1830 meters wide. Steles engraved with Sanskrit verses were erected in each corner of the barai, proclaiming the patronage of Ganges, the goddess of the sacred river Ganges in India. Barai was filled with water from the nearby Roluos River. A rather non-standard construction method is interesting - the reservoir was not dug into the ground, instead walls were poured - this is how a huge “pool” turned out.

King Rajendravarman decided to build a temple on the island. East Mebon is not actually a "temple-mountain", despite its similarity. The visibility of the height is due to the fact that the water has left the reservoir surrounding it before, exposing a powerful five-meter base. The temple ends with a rather modest platform with five towers. In pairs, around the surroundings, there are eight small brick towers with interesting lintels with leafy ornaments and octagonal stone columns. Built by the king's architect Kavindrarimathan (only the Khmers left us the names of their architects), the main deity of the temple - Rajendreshvara was consecrated on Friday, January 28, 953 at about 11 am, as evidenced by the corresponding inscription. Since the temple stood on an island, there was no need for fences, ditches and passages along the dams; instead, four piers were built on the foundation on the cardinal points. The outer enclosure, 108x104 meters, is walled with a cutout in the middle of each side to provide enough space between the jetties and the four gopuras. The enclosure is surrounded by a series of long galleries. The next level of internal fencing is a 2.4-meter laterite terrace. Its low walls are also cut out, giving room for the northern, eastern and southern gopuras. IN open space between the inner wall of the encirclement and the central platform, eight small brick towers and five laterite buildings stand in pairs, on the cardinal points - three are facing west and two are facing east. The central platform, 3 meters high, is lined with sandstone and bears the east-facing brick towers of the sanctuaries. The central tower, as usual, is larger than the others and stands on a two-meter platform.

Behind the eastern gopura, made of laterite and stone, on both sides are the remains of a series of long galleries, the gallery is best preserved on the south side. All galleries were built of laterite with balustraded windows and tiled roofs. On the next terrace, two elephants are standing in the corners, looking out - they are made of monolithic stone. Eight almost identical elephants stand just outside the walls, at the corners of both fences. To get to them, one must climb the stairs leading to the gopura of the interior, turn left along the ledge to the door and follow the elephant in the southeast corner.

Buildings on the east side have all the hallmarks of "libraries" - this is indicated by their position in the corners, orientation to the west and size. It looks like they originally had brick vaults. The western doorposts of the building in the northeast corner are decorated with two elephants sprinkling Lakshmi with water from their trunks. On the lintel of the eastern door of the western gopura is depicted Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu in the form of a lion tearing the king of the asuras. Of particular interest in the towers are the lintels and false doors in the north, west and south. On the central tower, the eastern lintel depicts Indra on the three-headed elephant Airavata, and on the western one, Varuna, the guardian of the West, along with figures holding lotuses. The southern lintel depicts the god of death, Yama, on a buffalo. On the southeast tower, in which stands the statue of Brahma, on the northern lintel, a monster devours an elephant. Ganesha is depicted on the eastern side of the northwestern tower. Not far from East Mebon, there is a temple similar to it, Pre-Rup. The building itself is not so interesting, but wonderful views open from its top, this is a great place to watch the sunset.

Rulos group of temples

The Rulos complex is located southeast of the main Angkor complex. Centuries before Angkor, King Jayavarman II (802-850) founded the first capital of the Khmer Empire Hariharalaya on this site.

Construction of Indratataka ("Pond of Indra") in Hariharalaya, around the temple of Lolei, where the waters of the river Rulos flowed, allowed a constant supply of water rice fields and various temple complexes adjoining settlements, where, according to rough estimates, at least 15,000 people lived. The waters of Indratataka were channeled into canals around the temples of Preah Koh, Bakong, Preah Monti, near the last temple, the palace of Jayavarman II's successor, Indravarman I, may have been built. the beginning of the era of classical Khmer art. Before the construction of Rulos, even for the construction religious buildings only lungs were used (and short lived) Construction Materials.

Build a Hindu temple bakong (Bakong) King Jayavarman III began, but he did not have time to finish it during his lifetime. The temple was completed and consecrated by his successor Indravarman I in 881. The five tiers of the pyramid of the temple and other elements symbolize the sacred Mount Meru, and the temple itself was dedicated to the god Shiva. A stele erected at the founding of the temple records the consecration in 881 of its linga, Sri Indreshrava. Although the Ak-Em temple on the south bank of the West Baray was built earlier, Bakong is considered the first true "temple-mountain" - in part because it is the first such structure made of sandstone, but also because it is larger and structurally more complex. relation. Bakong is the largest and most interesting temple in the Rulos group. Its dimensions are very significant: 900x700 meters, inside there are two moats and three concentric fences. The outer ditch, on average 3 meters deep, is the boundary of the outer, third enclosure without a gopura, but with the remains of two sidewalks leading one to the east, the other to the north. Between the outer and inner moats are 22 evenly spaced brick towers, not all of them finished. The second fence, from which only laterite ruins have survived to this day, formed the border of a plot about 25 meters wide - servants lived here. There is currently a Buddhist monastery in the northeast corner of this site. The whole complex is surrounded by a moat 59 meters wide, forming a rectangle measuring 315x345 meters. From east to west, the ditch is crossed by two dams - the continuation of two of the four axial roads of Hariharalaya. The roads run between rows of giant stone nagas, the forerunners of the magnificent balustrades of the classical era.

Eight small square brick buildings remained at the corners of the inner fence, one at the northwestern and southwestern corners with entrances to the east and two each in the northeast and southeast corners with an entrance facing west. The ventilation holes in them led some researchers to the idea that cremations were carried out in these prasats. The other two are later, long "libraries" made of stone, oriented from east to west. Immediately after the east entrance are the remains of two other long "libraries" of laterite, oriented north-south, and traces of another, oriented east-west in the southeast corner.

The pyramid itself, almost square in plan, has a clear profile. Each of the five tiers represents the kingdoms of mythical creatures, from bottom to top: nagas, garudas, rakshasas (demons), yakshas (tree deities) and finally devat (demigods). The pyramid is 67x65 meters at the bottom and 20x18 meters at the top, decreasing with each step. Four gopuras lead to four staircases, on each landing the next march is preceded by an elegant semicircular threshold, on both sides there are statues of lions. To correct visual perception, the height and width of the stairs imperceptibly decrease as they rise - the craftsmen applied the law of proportional reduction, which until then was used only in the construction of prasat roofs. Each terrace of the pyramid is slightly recessed to the west, again to correct perspective.

Elephant statues at the corners of the first three steps of the pyramid are reminiscent of the legendary animals that support the earth. They are designed to convey their power and stability to the building. In addition, the elephant was the mount of the god Indra, as well as earthly rulers. The fourth terrace contains 12 sandstone towers, each of which probably contained a linga. Remains of bas-reliefs are still visible on the wall of the fifth and last terrace.

The pyramid is crowned with a tower of a much later period. (XII century), similar in style to the towers of Angkor Wat, with three false doors and one real. The goddesses carved in niches on both sides of the doors are badly damaged, since this tower was almost completely destroyed and restored only in 1941, but in some places they are still well preserved. The entrance to the shrine is guarded by lions in the traditional Khmer style. The tower is crowned with a dome in the form of a lotus.

Bakong corresponds exactly to the Hindu cosmic symbolism: the temple depicts Mount Meru, the first ditch is the cosmic sea from which this mountain arose, and the dry patches of land are the land inhabited by people, which, in turn, is surrounded by mountain ranges (city walls) and another sea (second ditch).

This elegant little brick temple with six towers and lime-mortar stucco was the first shrine built by Indravarman I in the 9th-century capital of Angkor, Hariharalaya. Its surrounding moat is so large in relation to the temple that there is a version according to which it was part of the royal palace, traces of which have not yet been found.

On a superbly preserved stele at the base of the temple, after the traditional eulogy of Shiva, a brief genealogy of Indravarman I is given, followed by a eulogy in Sanskrit for the "prince's right hand" which says, "Long, strong and fearsome in battle, his shining sword falls on his enemies, conquering kings in every direction. Invincible, he calmed down only when his two enemies showed their backs and, valuing their lives, offered themselves to his protection. The inscription is accompanied by a reference to the cult of Devaraja, or "god-king" on Mount Mahendra. (Phnom Kulen) and ends with a mention of the installation in 879 of three statues of Shiva and Devi. The other side, written in Khmer, dates from a later year, 893, and describes offerings to the deities of Parameshwar and Prithivindreshwar. The temple begins in the west with a laterite pavement that separates the surrounding moat. Once upon a time, two parallel galleries passed on both sides, but only the foundation has survived from them to this day. A small terrace leads to the gopura of the second environment.

The sandstone plinth forms a common platform for six towers. On the east side, it is cut by three stairs, the side walls of which are richly decorated with guards. (dvarapalami) and dancers (apsaras) and guarded by seated lions. In front of each staircase lies Nandine. There is one central staircase on the west side. The brick towers of the sanctuaries are arranged in two rows and vary in size. East, front row middle tower above the rest and shifted a little back. As usual, all six towers of the sanctuary are open to the east. Each tower has four tiers. The towers are covered with lime plaster with sculptural bas-reliefs - it is amazing how, after 11 centuries of existence, they have survived to this day. Note the sandstone false doors with superb octagonal columns on the east side - they are undoubtedly one of the finest examples of Khmer art.

three prasat (towers) in the background, similar to the towers of the first row, but somewhat lower and intended for female deities. They are entirely made of brick, except for the sandstone door frames. In niches in the recesses of the walls of the prasat of male ancestors, statues of young armed dvarapalas are placed. (guards) and statues of devatas (demigods) guarding the prasats of female ancestors.

The sanctuary was intended for male deities. The corner piers are richly decorated, guards stand in the blind arches. (dvarapala). Here, unlike those in Bakong, they are unique in style - made of sandstone and inserted into the brickwork. The northern prasat holds the Rudreshvara linga, the emblem of Rudravarman, the maternal grandfather of Indravarman I, and the southern prasat holds the Prithivindresvara linga, the emblem of Indravarman I's father. (devi means "goddess"). Like Bacong, only a few sculptures survive at Preah Co. Of these, only Shiva in the southeast corner tower and the headless goddess in the rear central tower were left in the temple. Both of these statues date from the period of the temple's construction.

Loley

Another small temple in the Rulos group, Lolei (Lolei), was built by the successor of Indravarman I, Yasovarman I (889-910) on a small island in the Indratataki reservoir - today this place is rice fields. All that remains of the temple are four towers, following the design of the Preah Co towers. Sanskrit inscriptions on the doorways say that the king dedicated the temple to his parents and maternal royal ancestors.

The buildings of the temple are divided along the central axis, oriented from east to west. Buildings south of the axis were dedicated to Shiva, while those north of the axis were dedicated to Vishnu. Later, in the 12th century, Banteay Srei was "re-dedicated" to Shiva, as evidenced by a found tablet made by one of the priests.

Unlike the main temples in Angkor, Banteay Srei was not royal. It was built by one of the advisers of King Rajendravarman II - Yajnavaraha on the land donated to him by the king on the banks of the Siem Reap River. As it always happened, the settlement ordinary people surrounded this temple, and thus was not formed Big city called Iswarapura. Discovered by the French only in 1914, Banteay Srey gained notoriety when, in 1923, the writer André Malraux, who later became Minister of Culture under de Gaulle's government, stole four apsaras from it. He was immediately caught and the stolen parts were returned to the temple. It was this temple that was first restored in 1931-1936 using the anastylosis method. The method, developed by Dutch restorers in Java, involves the restoration of destroyed objects using only original materials. Thanks to the success of this method in Banteay Srei, the French archaeological service involved in the restoration of Angkor began to apply it everywhere in the restoration of other treasures of the ancient city. On the one hand, the task at Banteay Srei was made easier by the small size of the buildings, small blocks of stone carved from durable sandstone, which retained its clear carvings with an abundance of decoration. On the other hand, the restoration process was complicated by the remoteness of the temple, minimal funds and the inexperience of the workers who learned in the process.

To eliminate the threat of damage to the temple due to flooding, a drainage system was made under a joint Cambodian-Swiss project in 2000-2003. Measures were also taken to prevent damage to the walls of the temple by trees. Unfortunately, the temple was constantly exposed and is still exposed to theft and vandalism. By the end of the 20th century, the authorities replaced the original statues with exact copies, but this did not stop the thieves - copies began to steal. The statue of Shiva, placed in the National Museum in Phnom Penh for safety, was tried to be stolen directly from the museum itself.

After the discovery in 1936 in the eastern gopura of the stele of the foundation of the temple, it became clear that Banteay Srei was designed as a whole, this is also confirmed by the uniformity of style. Engraved in 968, the first year of the reign of Jayavarman V, the inscription gives the start date for the construction of the temple: April-May 967, along with the positions of the sun, moon, and planets. This was the last year of the reign of Rajendravarman II. After the traditional prayer to Shiva, the text of the stele contains a eulogy to the ruler Jayavarman V and his guru Yajnavarah, who founded Banteay Srei together with his younger brother, installing the Shiva linga in the central sanctuary. Other inscriptions engraved on the doorposts mention the placement of another linga in the south shrine and a statue of Vishnu in the north. The temple is greeted from the east by a laterite cruciform gopura with sandstone columns and fine decorations.

The pediment on this gopura depicts Indra on a three-headed elephant and, in addition to the beautiful pink hue of the stone, gives the temple a rich decoration. Banteay Srei is surrounded by three walls measuring respectively 95x110 meters, 38x42 meters and 24x24 meters. A wide pavement leads from the gate to the third fence, decorated on both sides with posts - in former times they were destroyed every year by wild elephants. On the left side of the pavement on the pediment of the "library" is a plot known as "Umamaheshvara", in which Shiva holds a trident and rides the bull Nandina with his wife Uma. On the right side is a “library” with an excellent pediment, where Vishnu, appearing in the form of a lion Narasimha, tears apart the asura king Hiranyahasipu at the moment when he was about to kill his son, a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

On the pediment of the eastern tower of the second enclosure, under a garuda holding a branch with leaves, two elephants pour water from pots on Lakshmi, the goddess of beauty and fertility, the wife of the god Vishnu. Inside the third, very last, central fence, on the "library" to the right of the entrance - the famous bas-relief of the pediment depicts an equally famous story from the Ramayana, how Ravana, depicted as a multi-armed and multi-headed rakshas, ​​tries to shake Mount Kailash, where Shiva lives. The mountain itself is depicted as a multi-tiered pyramid against a stylized forest background. At the top sits Shiva with his wife Uma, squatting beside him in a delightful pose. Shiva presses down on the mountain with his right foot to stop the shaking. The second row depicts clearly alarmed priests and pilgrims pointing fingers at Ravana. On the right is a praying female figure. On the third row worshipers with the heads of elephants, lions, birds and horses. On both sides of the monkey in exquisite headdresses. The lower tier is occupied by animals that flee in horror from Ravana.

On the pediment of the “library” on the left is another famous bas-relief, this time a plot from another epic, the Mahabharata. Krishna and Arjuna, who were resting on the banks of the Yamuna River near the Khandava forest, were approached by a brahmin who turned the god Agni (God of fire). Further options diverge: either Agni said that he wants to burn the Khandava forest to eat its vegetation and animals, or he wants to destroy the Takshaka snake, or Krishna and Arjuna wanted this forest to be burned to found the city of Indraprastha. One way or another, Indra, on the three-headed elephant Airavata, prevents the fire by releasing torrents of rain to protect his friend, the snake Takshak, who lives in the forest. Krishna and Arjuna, in turn, oppose Indra, blocking the rain with a hail of magical arrows, and block the exit from the forest for its inhabitants on both sides.

On the western side of the same "library" - Krishna kills King Kamsa. This scene is taken from the holy book Srimad Bhagavatam and takes place in a palace - its image gives us an idea of ​​what beautiful wooden palaces were in Angkor. The two large figures are shown in perspective, which is rare in Angkor bas-reliefs. Krishna is holding Kamsa by the hair and is about to kill him. In the corners, on horse-drawn chariots, apparently, Krishna and Arjuna, armed with bow and arrows, arrived at the palace. In the rest of the rooms, excited women are depicted watching what is happening.

The western pediment depicts a scene from the Ramayana: the battle between Valin and Sugriva. Valin, the son of Indra, took from Sugriva, the son of Surya (sun god), the kingdom of monkeys. Rama promised to help Sugriva regain the kingdom in exchange for the help of the monkey army led by Hanuman against Ravana's army in order to free his wife, Sita. During the duel, Sugriva won, but Valin resorted to a trick - he pretended to be dead and was ready to deliver a mortal blow to Sugriva, and then Rama (right with bow) pierced him with his arrow. Behind Rama stands his brother Lakshman. Magnificent in expressiveness, the bas-relief of the dying Sugriva in the arms of his wife Rati is depicted in Angkor Wat. Inside, closer to the southern wall, in a doorway with three geese, there is a most beautiful apsara, one might say, a symbol of the beauty of Banteay Srei and partly of the whole of Angkor.

Beng Melea

Beng Melea (Beng Melea) interesting primarily because it was not cleared, like almost all the temples of Angkor, but left in the condition in which it was found. The jungle has completely taken over the temple. Here you can climb roofs, ride vines and feel like an inhabitant of the jungle (which one, choose yourself). Beng Melea built during the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113-1150) . Created in the same style, but a little earlier than Angkor Wat, Beng Melea may have served as its prototype. Despite the fact that there are many carved vaults and doorways, there are no bas-reliefs in the complex, and the carving itself is quite rare. When the temple was active, the walls may have been covered with frescoes. In those days, Beng Melea stood at the crossroads of several important roads to Angkor, Koh Ker and North Vietnam. The temple covers an area of ​​​​one square kilometer, it is covered with jungle and very little visited - this creates the feeling of a "lost world". The trees here grow straight out of the ruined towers and galleries, these are probably the most impressive views of the “trees in the temple”. Around the temple of Beng Melea a large ditch was dug, overgrown with lotuses, like burdocks...

Ko Ker

Temple complex Ko-Ker (Koh Ker)- the most distant temple from Angkor in this region. From Siem Reap, it is located at a distance of about 100 km on the same road as Beng Melea. The temple is the remains of one of the capitals of the Khmer empire of the Angkor period. In 928, King Jayavarman IV, who usurped the throne, founded a new capital, Ko Ker, 100 km from Angkor. The king was rich and powerful, he erected the impressive royal city of Ko-Ker, Brahmin monuments, temples and towers, built a huge barai (pool-reservoir) Rahal. Jayavarman IV ruled Koh Ker until his death in 941. His son Harshavarman II stayed here for another three years before returning the capital to Angkor. The Ko-Ker complex has not been restored. There are no crowds of tourists here, and therefore one can try to imagine what such structures were like before they were cleared from the jungle absorbing them.

The main ruins of the complex are Prasat Thom, an impressive 7-tier pyramid and temple complex, towers and small temples near the road and numerous lingams. An interesting part of Ko-Ker is the sanctuary of Shiva. Here stands a gigantic, human-sized lingam - the largest in Cambodia. By the way, the lingam can be used as a compass: the open channel of the lingam always points to the north.

The main building of the complex is a large seven-tiered pyramid Prasat-Thom. There are many legends around her. The Khmers believe that the shaft in the center of the pyramid is the link between the earth and the underworld. By order of the king, guilty subjects were thrown into it. It is said that a Khmer peasant who fell into a mine in 1996 somehow got out with a ten kilogram gold bar. After this incident, the peasant lost his mind and could not explain where he got the gold from, or how he got out. Later, in 2004, two archaeologists again tried to get into this mine, and, judging by the legend, one of them was found dead a few hours later with completely gray hair, and the other completely disappeared. Also, according to the testimony of local residents, marked coconuts thrown into this well float up the next day in the Andomprey river basin, 3 km away. And no one can hear the sound of such a nut falling - no matter how much you listen. Entrance to the pyramid is prohibited, the dilapidated staircase leading to it is closed. However, if you really want to try your luck, give the guard $5 and he will look the other way. However, without special equipment to go down into the mine still will not work.

Walking around the sanctuary of Ko-Ker, exploring the ruins and untrodden paths, be extremely careful. A proven path leads past all the main objects, it is better not to go deep into the thickets - although no one has been blown up by a mine for a very long time, it is believed that the complex has not been completely cleared of mines after the Pol Pot terror. Entrance ticket to Koh Ker costs $10.

Neighborhood of Angkor

Phnom Kulen

Phnom Kulen (Pnom Kulen)- a small mountain range 50 km north of Siem Reap and 25 km from Banteay Srei. His highest point- 487 m. If you are planning a trip to Phnom Kulen, keep in mind that Mountain road it is so narrow that two cars cannot pass each other, so all transport goes up until 11 am, and back after 11 am. A taxi to Phnom Kulen and back will cost $ 30-40.

During the construction of Angkor, stones were mined here in quarries for the construction of temples and floated on rafts along the river. Phnom Kulen is considered a holy mountain in Cambodia, the top of the mountain is a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists who come here as pilgrims. It is also significant to the Cambodians as the birthplace of the ancient Khmer Empire, it was on Phnom Kulen that King Jayavarman II declared independence in 804. There is some controversy as to who exactly declared independence. Most believe that Cambodia was a vassal of Java, according to other scholars - Cambodia at that time was under the rule of Laos. Jayavarman II did not limit himself to the proclamation of freedom, at the same time introducing a new cult of the "king-god", also called the cult of the linga, which existed for many centuries after his death.

An interesting attraction of Phnom Kulen is the stream of a thousand Lingams, here more than a thousand small religious images are carved in stone. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the images are under water, 5 cm below the surface. This is not an accident, but the original idea of ​​​​the artist: by order of the king, the riverbed was set aside so that the craftsmen could carve the figures, and then returned to its original place. Among the particularly interesting figures is Vishnu reclining on his snake Ananta with his wife Lakshmi at his feet, a lotus flower grows from Vishnu's navel with the supreme deity Brahma.

Phnom Kulen is a national natural park with beautiful waterfalls, the largest of which you can take a break from the Cambodian heat and swim. Played his role Phnom Kulen and in modern history. It was here that the last battles between the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese took place in 1979. Near the mountain is Preah Ang Thom, a 16th-century Buddhist monastery with Cambodia's largest reclining Buddha statue.

Siem Reap is one of the largest cities in Cambodia. This is a calm, cozy city, spread out on the shady banks of the river of the same name. Most tourists come to Siem Reap to visit Angkor, which is only 5 km from here. But if Siem Reap used to be a quiet sleeping area for travelers, today the city has grown and offers tourists a choice of numerous hotels and restaurants with cuisines from all over the world. The name Siem Reap means "Siam Defeated". The city is named so in honor of the Khmer defeat of the Siamese (Thai) capital of Ayutthaya in the 17th century.

There are few attractions in Siem Reap. It will be interesting to coincide with a trip to Angkor with a visit to the Angkor National Museum (Angkor National Museum), which contains a wonderful collection of artifacts from the ancient city, including about a thousand Buddha images made of wood, stone and precious stones.

The French Quarter is a pleasant place to walk along the river in the southern part of the city. To the south of it is the Old Market. (Psar Chaa). In addition to looking at the stalls of merchants, here you can buy interesting souvenirs, for example, pencil "prints" of temples on rice paper, they are inexpensive, and look very nice on the wall. Behind the market, by the river, many vendors sell silk scarves and sarongs, wood carvings, silverware, and more.

An evening in Siem Reap can be spent on the bustling Pub Street (pub street) with lots of restaurants, cafes and bars. Lovers of peace and romance can walk along the river bank to the south, to the southern outskirts of the city. Intrusive taxi drivers often offer tourists trips to art schools and silk factories. The main purpose of such an excursion is to persuade travelers to buy a painting or something made of silk, and at a price much higher than that for which you can buy a similar thing in the market.

Routes

Almost all tourists, when planning a route, ask the main question: which temples to visit? There are a huge number of temples in Angkor and its environs, and it is impossible to see them all - and it is not necessary. You should not try to fit as many temples as possible into the trip - by the end of the day, the sensations will become dull, the temples will begin to merge into one and the impressions will be blurred. Better focus on the minimum program: Bayonne , Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Ta Keo inside Angkor, Banteay Srei and Phnom Bakeng, as well as Beng Melea and Ko Ker outside of it.

Classic routes

The traditional routes around Angkor are the "small circle" and the "big circle". As practice shows, they are convenient with geographic point vision, but not quite optimal for the best experience. It is better not to stick to the classic routes, but to make your own travel plan for the most interesting temples.

To visit the distant temples of Ko Ker and Beng Melea, you can save day time. If you arrive in Ko Ker early in the morning, you will walk along it almost alone. Then you can go towards Angkor and stop by Beng Melea on the way. Please note that Khmer taxi drivers really do not like to work at night, even if you find a driver who agrees to this, the cost of a trip at night will be at least 50% more expensive. It is also possible to spend the night in a guesthouse (tourist hotel) near Ko Ker.

small circle

This 17 km route starts from the western wall of Angkor Wat and heads north past the temples of Ta-Prom-Kel (Ta Prohm Kel)(Phnom Bakheng) (beautiful view at sunset) and Baksei Chamkrong (Baksei Chamkrong) to the south entrance of Angkor Thom (Angkor Thom). On the central square of Angkor Thom behind the Bayon Temple (Bayon) the path turns east to the Gate of Victory (Victory Gate) and between the remarkably similar twin temples of Chau Sei Tevoda (Chau Say Tevoda) and Tommanon (Thommanon) follows to Ta-Keo temple (Ta Keo). At this temple, the path turns to the southeast and bypasses the dried-up reservoir East Barai (East Baray) leads to Ta-Prom Temple (Ta Prohm). Then you need to go between the huge Buddhist temple Banteay Kdei (Banteay Kdei), surrounded by four concentric walls, and the dry basin of Sras Srang (Sras Srang), turn southwest and past the Prasat Kravan Hindu temple (Prasat Kravan, easily recognizable by its five brick towers)

The main attraction of Cambodia are the ancient temples. There are a great many temples in Cambodia, but I will write about the most interesting, majestic and beautiful, which amaze with their bas-reliefs and interesting masonry. The temples of Angkor in Cambodia are a whole complex of temples, which includes the well-known temple of Angkor Wat. All of these temple complexes are spread over an area of ​​more than 210 km² and many of them are still under exploration.

Cambodia attracts attention with its originality - this is not Thailand at all, all emasculated, sleek, comfortable and touristy. I still remember the amazing feeling of crossing the Thai-Cambodian border during the February 2015 trip. Beauty, culture, fit people in uniform are almost immediately replaced by rustic simplicity, helpers, shopkeepers and a pot-bellied topless customs officer. I was impressed by the wild lands, through which they traveled for an infinitely long time, free residents, able to sleep in a hut made of polyethylene and at the same time enjoy life, but most of all they were struck by the temples of Cambodia.

I tried to tell about our first impressions of visiting Cambodia, Thailand in a separate article, which turned out to be moderately emotional and I hope interesting. For comparison, I suggest reading an article about a similar trip inside Vietnam - there are differences

• How to get from Fukuoka to Ho Chi Minh City on your own

These are amazing temple ensembles that even Hollywood, which has repeatedly chosen them as scenery for its films, could not get around. Tourists have noticed features associated with sightseeing in Cambodia, which everyone should know about before planning a trip to the temples:

• every temple is beautiful different time days: some at dawn, some in the afternoon
• You can take great pictures at any time of the day.
• visiting the temple complexes of Cambodia takes a lot of time, so you should devote at least 2-3 days to this event in order to have time to visit the most worthy places. These days you can find a hotel in the nearby town of Siem Reap.

Read about how to choose cheap accommodation abroad when traveling on your own in the article, in addition, I suggest using a hotel card to select a suitable place for the first days of your stay in Cambodia:

In addition, to inspect the entire Angkor complex, you should think about renting a transport, because. many temples are at a fairly large distance from each other. Earlier I wrote about the rental of the main modes of transport, as well as about public transport in Cambodia. However, tourists who have gathered to inspect the temples of Cambodia are provided with an expanded version, so I will summarize here.

All modes of transport in Cambodia in 2015

• A bicycle is an interesting proposition if you stay a few days in Siem Reap (this is the closest place to the Temples). Approximately $2 per bike per day.
• Moped - renting mopeds ($8-10 per day) by foreigners in Siem Reap is prohibited by law. However, if you come from another city, then be sure to leave the transport in paid parking lots,.
• Taxi - can be rented for one day for $30-40.
• Elephant - You can ride an elephant from the gates of Angkor Thom to Bayon Temple. The cost is $10. And in Angkor Village you can not only ride an elephant, but also take a lesson from professional mahouts. The mahout will help you learn to sit confidently on the elephant and even with him you can learn a few commands for the elephant. Costs approximately $50.
• Balloon - This amazing vehicle can be used for $11 per person (cart includes up to 30 people). It will be possible to see only Angkor Wat from the air and capture it on the camera. But the balloon rises only in good weather.
• Minibus - The cost of renting a minibus with a driver (for 12 people) is approximately $50 per day.
• Motor rickshaw (tuk-tuk) - I think the most popular transport for moving around the territory of the Angkor complex. The cost of renting a tuk-tuk varies from $10 to $20 per day.

About how not to get into trouble when renting bikes or motorbikes in Cambodia, be sure to read an important article, remember that failure to follow the rules can cost you a lot of money for repairs or theft of a motorcycle. You can also read information about transport in Cambodia:

Entrance ticket price to the territory of the temples of Angkor:

• for one day is $20,
• for 3 days - $ 40 (you can visit during the week)
• per week - $ 60 (it can be used within a month).

Visiting hours of the most famous temple of Cambodia - Angkor Wat from 5 am to 6 pm. Do not try to lose the main (entrance) ticket, because on the territory of the temple complex there is its own sisuritl, whose employees will very quickly notice the absence of a ticket and issue a fine.

angkor wat temple

One of the main buildings at the moment, which is a national pride and is depicted on the flag of Cambodia.

The temple of Angkor Wat was built during the reign of King Suryavarman II (1112 - 1152). During his reign, Cambodia became a great power. Ankhgor Wat is an amazing architectural structure, which is created without any mixtures (fastening materials), stone blocks are adjusted so that they stick to each other very precisely. The temple was built in 89 years, the builders who participated in the construction, there are about 150 million people.

The heart of the temple is five towers - one in the center (this is the mythical Mount Meru, where all the gods and goddesses live) and four towers (temples) around it, and this whole place is in the middle of the moat (ocean), and the sun and moon revolve around the mountain . Angkor Wat can be recognized as the largest religious building in the world, because. it is built on belief in gods and goddesses. Therefore, it is divided into three worlds: the lower world, the world of people, and the world of the gods. The vision of these worlds is visible not only in the building itself, but also on the bas-reliefs and sculptures that adorn all the walls of the temple.

A lot of tons of stone were used to build the temple, and the weight of one block could reach up to 500 kg. Therefore, elephants helped the Khmers during construction to move especially heavy blocks. When excavating and studying the area, scientists did not find the buildings of ordinary Khmer builders who built ancient structures, so a theory was put forward that these buildings were not built by people at all, but that's another story ....

Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and was inhabited by crocodiles in ancient times. The temple is well preserved in comparison with other buildings of Angkor, because. Buddhist monks still live here.

In 1992, along with other buildings of the city of Angkor, it was taken under the auspices of UNESCO. Angkor Wat Temple is a major tourist attraction in Cambodia.

There are also many beautiful temples in this complex, which are also worth seeing, I will briefly talk about them in:

• angkor thom
• Bayon Temple
• Bapuon
• Royal Corps and Pimanakas
• Pre Paliley
• Thep Pranam
• Terrace of the Leper King
• Elephant Terrace
• Klings and Prasat Sor Prat
• Ta Prohm Temple is the most breathtaking temple of Angkor and everyone who comes to see Cambodia should see it. It is interesting because it is abandoned and given to the jungle, the trees that permeate it.

• Banteay Kdey and Sra Srang
• Ta Keo
• Pre Can Temple
• Pre Neck Pian
• Ta Som
• Preah Vihear

As you can see, there is something to see, therefore, having decided to get acquainted with ancient architecture, stock up not only with patience, but also with strength. Since you will have to walk a lot, listen if you hire a good guide, even more, but you will also get plenty of impressions. All you need now is to choose the best time to fly to Cambodia and plan a vacation, and life in this country is quite budgetary, even for selective travelers. Good luck with your exploration of ancient structures.

Read the rest of the story in the following article:

And remember that it is not necessary to fly to Cambodia by direct flight, both Thailand and Vietnam are quite suitable for you, and then the road will take 7-8 hours by cheap buses, during which you can enjoy the colors of this amazing country. Do not be afraid . You just need to take a small step.

I will tell you once again what everyone who is interested in antiquities and beautiful places in Southeast Asia already knows. Majestic temple complex angkor wat located in the northwestern part Cambodia and this marvel of architecture is one of the oldest religious monuments in the world and the finest surviving legacy of the ancient Khmer Empire. Over 250 square kilometers archaeological park included in the list world heritage UNESCO is visited by millions of tourists every year.

At one time, only careful preparation for the journey to angkor wat allowed us not to get lost in the crowds of tourists and minimize the unpleasant moments that could arise during the trip. I am sure that without preparation, most of your time and money will be wasted.

IN this article collected the most full information By Angkor temple complex, tried not to delve into small insignificant details and not to overload report photographs. Also, an article about the city will be published in a separate post. Siem Reap in Cambodia- that's where it starts getting to know angkor which is located a few kilometers from the city.

angkor one of the three coolest temples in Southeast Asia, along with Borobudur in Java which we also visited Bagan temple complex in Burma (Myanmar), the journey to which we have ahead.

angkor- not a city, but a temple complex, which includes several tens (hundreds) of large and small temples of different ages and significance, the most significant and largest of them is the temple complex angkor wat. The prefix "Wat" in Khmer means temple.

History of the Angkor Wat temple complex

main temple angkor wat was built in the 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II and they say that he was somehow connected with his future funeral ceremony. The facade, intricate Hindu texts, carved bas-reliefs, the central tower - a symbol of the sacred Mount Meru, the walls and moat surrounding the temple, symbolizing the mountains and oceans at the edge of the world. The five towers of the temple are dedicated to the deity Vishnu, and the temple itself is designed to personify a copy of the universe.

How to get to the Angkor temple complex

The nearest airport is in city ​​of Siem Reap, a few kilometers from the temple complex. The airport is small but international. IN Siem Reap major airlines fly Delta (delta.com), VirginAustralia (virginaustralia.com), SingaporeAirlines (singaporeair.com), and KoreanAir (koreanair.com). In addition to them, there are many flights from the cities of Thailand, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City).

Obviously, it is most convenient for citizens of Ukraine, Russia and the CIS countries to fly through Bangkok (Thailand). From Bangkok V Siem Reap airlines fly Air Asia, Bangkok Air.

Visa to Cambodia can be obtained upon arrival, it costs 25 US dollars. IN Siem Reap can be reached by auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk) or taxi for a few dollars, tuk-tuks and taxis stand at the exit of the airport. It is enough to name the hotel or area Siem Reap city eg Old Market (a popular place in the city).

When to go to Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

As soon as possible, the number of tourists wishing to see angkor wat V Cambodia, is growing every year. Temples of course will not go anywhere, but the atmosphere can be lost. In addition, some buildings of the ancient city are periodically closed for restoration.

If speak about weather in cambodia, then the off-season in this part of Cambodia is June to October, smaller crowds, lower prices. autumn at the end of the rainy season, everything is green and the least hot according to reviews. The best time is November-December, at the same time tourism peak. hottest month – April. May to October is the rainy season. Popular time to visit temples of angkor our tourists have winter. We were in February, at this time high humidity and a little cloudiness. Not the best time for photography, but there is no burning sun.

Best time to visit angkor wat at any time of the year - early in the morning, when the temple is open for visitors until lunch, during tomorrow - around 9 a.m. and during lunch - around noon there are fewer visitors, especially organized tourist groups.

angkor wat where to live

All those who come to angkor wat live in city ​​of Siem Reap. Large selection of hotels, guest houses and apartments. It is not necessary to choose a hotel closer to Angkor temple complex, you will still go by tuk-tuk or a rented car with a driver. Much more important is maximum comfort and very preferably a pool, after a hot and humid tourist day this is the first place you want to climb into, and a couple of minutes later a beer or a cold cocktail is obligatory.

The location of the hotel. It is better to look for accommodation in Siem Reap close to Old Market (Old Market), in the area the main traffic, shopping, bar street.

We had a very comfortable Central Boutique Angkor Hotel for $ 40 per night (double) with a terrace and access to the pool and bar. We had breakfast in a restaurant in a tropical garden, lunch in the city, and dinner, as a rule, on the terrace by the pool. Relative deficiency- the hotel was far from the city center Siem Reap evening life but that wasn't a problem. We love to walk, and besides, there are plenty of taxis in the city that will take you anywhere in the city for a couple of dollars. Details about hotels and guesthouses Siem Reap (Cambodia)you can read on mynew sitededicated to the choice of accommodation when traveling -Siem Reap, Cambodia - Hotel recommendation

There are several popular ways to get from the hotel to angkor temple complex.

The laziest way, he is the most comfortable - to hire an air-conditioned car with a driver. There are options here. You can rent a car separately for trips around Small circle of Angkor, By Great circle of Angkor and to distant temples. In this case, you kind of buy a car rental service at retail and pay for each route. In many cases this is justified. Depending on the route, each section will cost from 25 to 50 dollars, except for trips to the most distant temples, for example, to Ko Ker. We rented a car for three days at once and it cost us $80 per day. We were two families and the girls did not want to swallow the dust of centuries riding a tuk-tuk. The guide was paid an extra $20 for half a day of his work.

Even me, accustomed to humid heat, 6-8 hours active hikes in such a climate would be exhausting. An air-conditioned car gives you the opportunity to relax in between visiting the temples, leave some things there and not stomp on foot (on a bicycle). You can rent a car either through specialized sites - there are many Russian-speaking ones, or at the hotel desk. The price will be the same and depends on your ability and desire to bargain, if the difference is 5-10 dollars.

Second option- an indispensable tuk-tuk (tuk-tuk) in Asia (autorickshaw), the pricing principle is the same as with a car, wholesale is cheaper, on separate routes it will generally turn out more expensive. The price for a tuk-tuk is 10-30 dollars per day. It makes no sense to detail the cost of a tuk-tuk, since it changes every year and not downwards of course. You can rent a tuk-tuk right on the street or at the hotel counter. Again, do not forget to bargain, sometimes you can reduce the price by 30%, at least 20% almost always. A tuk-tuk can accommodate up to 4 people.

The most budget way- bike. You can rent it at the counter of any hotel. If you wish there are no health problems, it is easy to master the small circle of Angkor and see the main temples. I know several comrades who saved and got acquainted with the ancient civilization in this way. In addition to the obvious drawbacks, this method has another one - you have to see the temples without a guide.

If you are planning to travel to distant temples of Angkor (Beng Melia, Banteay Srei, Phnom Kulen, Kbal Spin, Ko Ker, Pre Vihea, Pre Kan)- this is a separate price and in this case it is better to rent a car for the whole day and go with a company of 4 people. It will be more comfortable and much cheaper.

Heard from travelers that many drivers in cambodia not punctual. Not everything is critical and depends on you. It seemed to me that the Khmers themselves determine to whom you can be late, and to whom it is better not to, as you will be left without an order and without money - there is a lot of competition among them. We were never late, Cambodia, nor in Indonesia. In the rest Asian countries the transport was ours. The main thing is to clearly discuss your trip plan with the driver and it’s even better to draw it up on paper, with the names of temples and breakpoints By route.

angkor- this is a huge territory, even near one temple you can lose each other, all the more difficult to distinguish your tuk-tuk or car from a dozen similar strangers. Here the rule is the same for everyone - the driver will find you and recognize you in the crowd. Usually he waits not where he dropped off (at the entrance), but opposite the exit. In general, trust him - he will not be left without money, the main thing is not to lose each other.

Do I need a guide to the temples of Angkor and where to look for it

I not a supporter of guides and I never use them, because what I read about this or that place is almost always enough. angkor – exception from this rule, especially if you came specifically to see it. We took a guide, Russian-speaking and very good, although a little lazy. I constantly reminded him that we should go see such and such a temple, in the end we drove with him around Small circle of Angkor and We stopped at a couple of slightly remote temples. He told interesting, but NOT Wow!

Guide can be ordered at the hotel desk, you should first discuss the route with him. Arrival at the hotel, dawn, return for breakfast, trips to distant temples if they are planned, lunch break. As detailed as possible. Otherwise, he can drive you around for half a day. angkor wat plus a couple more temples and say that they say this is the most interesting, the rest is not worth a visit. It is customary to pay money to both the guide and the driver after work, that is, when you are returned back to the hotel. IN Siem Reap there are enough Russian-speaking guides, of those who studied in the Union, they speak very tolerably and understandably.

The cost of visiting Angkor and the opening hours of the temple complex

We already know how to get to angkor, we have transport and, if desired, a guide. It remains to buy a ticket to visit the temples. This can be done at the ticket office at the entrance to Angkor temple complex.

Tickets are sold for a period - 1 day, 3 days, 7 days. For tickets for a period of 3 and 7 days, you need a photo that is taken on the spot when buying. For one-day tickets - a separate box office. There are signs everywhere, everything is intuitive. If you have a guide with you, he can buy tickets.

Ticket price:

• 1 day - $20 (valid all day)
• 3 days - $40 (valid for any three days of the week)
• 7 days - 60 USD (valid for any 7 days of the month)

There are always queues, especially in the morning, you should not be afraid - they move very quickly.

Working hours Angkor temple complex 07:30 - 17:30, Angkor Wat - open from 05:30 in the morning for shooting sunrise, you can get inside at 07:40 in the morning.

Ticket offices open at 05:00

Sunrise and sunset at Angkore

Opening hours of the main temple - angkor wat- 05:30, it's dawn time. Unfortunately, beautiful sunrises are rare, we were not lucky. At 05:30, people gather near Angkor Wat and take pictures of the dawn, you can go upstairs from 07:40 to 17:00. Sunset in angkor from about 18:00, but after 17:30 you will be asked to leave the temple, although you can stretch until 18:00 if you do not catch the eye of employees.

You can shoot the sunset either from the upper tiers angkor wat, if you manage to stretch at least until 18:00, or from the top of the temple Tha Keo- it is in the form of a pyramid with high steep steps. Popular point - Phnom Bakheng.

Routes around Angkor. nearby temples. Large and small circles of Angkor

With the ticket that we bought at the box office, regardless of its type (for 1 day, 3 days or a week), we will be able to see only nearby temples. These are the temples that are located on the territory angkor temple complex. I think that they are the most interesting for the average tourist who is not a fan of ruins and antiquities.

For the convenience of tourists, two main routes have been invented - Large and Small circles of Angkor. Each of these routes requires at least a whole day, and each temple on the route is unique in its own way and is not repeated even in general terms. Naturally, there are signs in the temple complex, in addition, you can take a map of the location of the temples if you decide not to use the services of a guide.

There are two more temples that are located at a small distance from these routes - Banteay Srei And Banteay Samre. It was them that I asked to show our guide, otherwise we would not have seen them.

Both routes start from the main temple – angkor wat, The small circle is, as it were, nested in the Big one, part of the route is repeated.

Small Temples of Angkor

• Angkor Wat
• Phnom Bakheng
• Baksei Chamkrong
• angkor thom

angkor thom- the second most important and famous temple complex after angkor wat and the conditional center of everything temple complex. It is dedicated to Buddhism and is translated from Khmer as "big city". IN angkor thom includes more than a dozen large temples and several small ones. This complex became a "star" thanks to Bayon Temple– it is easy to recognize him by the stern faces carved in stone, which look at you with an unblinking and creepy look. The main temples of this complex:

Bayon

Baphuon

Pimeanakas (Phimeanakas)

Royal Palace

Terrace of the Elephants

Terrace of Leper King

Tep Pranam

Preah Palilay

Preah Pithu

Prasats Suor Prat

North and South Kleang (North Kleang and South Kleang)

• Chau Say Tevoda (Chau Say Tevoda)
• Thommanon
• Ta Keo (Ta Keo) Temple of Ta Keo - now it is undergoing a large-scale restoration, cranes and workers spoil the whole atmosphere a little;
• Ta Prohm - a temple overgrown with jungle, several Hollywood films were filmed here
• Banteay Kdei
• Prasat Kravan

small circle, although it is called small, but in terms of walking time it is much longer big circle. Of the pluses - the coolest temples are located precisely on the Small Circle of Angkor. On this route, we walked more than we drove. In the Great Circle, the opposite is true.

Small circle length– about 17 km.

Great Circle Temples of Angkor

As I already said, Great Circle of Angkor also starts at angkor wat, coincides with the Small Circle to the Bayon Temple. Then the path continues to the northern gate of the temple complex. angkor thom and to the following temples:

• Preah Khan
• Neak Pean
• Ta Som
• East Mebon
• Pre Rup (Pre Rup)

After these temples Great Circle of Angkor merges again with small circle. We also finish at the main temple - angkor wat.

big circle- it's more moving and less temples, besides they are not so big and popular. On the plus side, you can rest along the way.

Great circle length– approximately 26 km.

The distant temples of Angkor

This is the name of the temples, which are located at a considerable distance from the city of Siem Reap. This is from several tens to hundreds of kilometers and it will take at least a whole day to inspect them and about a hundred dollars for transport and entrances. If you are alone, look for a couple and team up with another couple. Those who wish are, as a rule, quickly. Usually these are hotel neighbors or just casual acquaintances. In extreme cases, you can go to distant temples on an organized tour (price 45-50 dollars per person) - this is budgetary, but unsportsmanlike.

The list of distant temples of Angkor and the approximate distance to them from the city of Siem Reap

• Beng Melia - 70 km. , about 2 hours on the way
• Koh Ker - 124 km., on the way you can stop by Beng Melia
• Banteay Srei - 40 km., 1 hour on the way;
• Roluos (Bakong Temple) - 17 km. on the way to Phnom Penh, 25 minutes drive;
• Pre Vihea - 240 km., Practically on the border with Thailand - there are practically no tourists because of its remoteness;
• Pre Can - 160 km. and almost 4 hours on the road - there are practically no tourists because of its remoteness;
• Phnom Kulen National Park - 55 km., On the way we stop at Banteay Srei - 20 km from it.

How long does it take to see Angkor

Depends on the goals, but you need at least two days, with two overnight stays, given the road. Optimally - two full days to explore all the nearby temples of Angkor, another full day to explore distant temples and a full day to relax and walk around Siem Reap. When planning, keep in mind that after a whole day on your feet, you will not want to look at distant temples. In total, it turns out from 3 to 5 days, after which you can go to the beaches of Thailand.

Our further route lay on Chang island, traveled by rented car, including the ferry. The choice of car was justified by the fact that there were four of us. As a result, the expenses turned out to be not so big, and it is difficult to overestimate the comfort, including stops at interesting places– villages, markets, lonely standing temples. Such a transfer is offered by many private agencies in Cambodia. You can find out about offers at the airport, hotel or on the relevant sites on the Internet. Not knowing English is not a problem - many agencies speak Russian.

Other things to do in Angkor and around Siem Reap

Fly in a hot air balloon - there are many offers, the price is $ 20 per person, a taxi to the starting point and back to the hotel is about $ 10.

Excursion to Tonle Sap Lake. There is an interesting floating village. We didn’t go, because we heard that this was mainly a production for tourists, and there wasn’t enough time.

First advice- start your day in angkor early in the morning. Rise at 4 am to be at the ticket office by 5. Take a snack with you - you can always have breakfast in the park. I was helped by coconuts, which I drank two or three a day, in addition to coconuts in the park they always sell some kind of food and drinks. Lunch at the hotel will also have to be sacrificed in order to return by about 16:00 and relax there.

Start your tour not from the main temple angkor wat- it is located at the entrance to the park, and immediately after meeting the dawn, if such is planned, head along the Small Circle to other temples while there are few people there.

If you are planning two days angkor, then devote the first day Small circle of Angkor, second day - big circle. Many do the opposite, leaving the most delicious temples for the second day and starting from the Great Circle. I advise you to start with a small circle, because it is quite possible that this will be enough - the coolest temples are on the route Small circle - Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Ta Keo.

Cloth. IN Cambodia very humid - keep that in mind. No mini-skirts and jeans - it will be uncomfortable. IN angkor wat allowed only in a long skirt and with a covered head (if I'm not mistaken), take it with you. You can wander around the rest of the temples in shorts and a T-shirt. Sunscreen- Necessarily. You will sunbathe on the sea. On feet - non-slippery shoes with rubber or rubber soles.

Dawn time - approximately 6:00, sunset time - 18:00, you need to shoot the dawn near the main temple - angkor wat, the whole crowd is there. Sunset can be filmed from any high temple. I like - Ta Keo.

Safety. Many temples can be climbed, many temples have very steep steps, sometimes extremely steep, such as in Ta Keo. It was in this temple that a well-known traveler in her circles fell down the steps and died. Be careful, there are warning labels, but not everywhere. Railings are also not everywhere. If there are no railings, on such temples as Ta Keo you should not climb at all - I still remember its almost sheer steepness.

take hygiene products with you at least wet wipes wipe sweat and hands after climbing stairs.

Can I travel to Cambodia with small children

Tools that help me save money at the travel planning stage

Angkor is a temple city of the Khmer Empire, located on the shores of Tonle Sap Lake. Although Angkor was never included in the list of the New Seven Wonders, visit ancient capital Khmer is the cherished dream of many travelers. But what do we know about Angkor? In our review, the past and present of the Khmer sacred city, as well as a story about the main temples of Cambodia.

HOW DID ANGKORE APPEAR?

Some things in this world never change. As you know, the ruins of the ancient city of Angkor are located in the center of modern Cambodia. It is curious here that in ancient times Angkor was not only the political and religious, but also the geographical center of the Khmer empire, so it turns out, whatever one may say, the sacred city, regardless of historical upheavals, was and remains the center of the country.

The name Angkor is translated as "city", and the Khmers built their sacred city in a special place. It is located between Mount Phnom Kulen and the Great Lake, and the Siem Reap River flows through it. The Khmers saw magical symbolism in the arrangement of rivers, lakes and mountains. Phnom Kulen was considered a kind of personification of Mount Mahendrapura, where, according to legend, Shiva lived, and the Siem Reap River was associated with the sacred river Ganges, and, by the way, according to legend, it was in this area of ​​Cambodia that the goddess Ganga descended from heaven, entangled in Shiva's hair.

Angkor was built from the seventh century AD to the twelfth approximately according to the following scheme. The first temple complex was erected here by Emperor Indravarman the First in 881 AD. The example turned out to be contagious, after Inravarman, each successive Khmer ruler decided to build a temple in Angkor.

Ashrams, swimming pools, clinics and houses of ordinary people have always appeared near the temples. By the way, the size of Khmer houses strictly obeyed the hierarchy that existed in society - the lower the social status, the smaller the dwelling should be.

Most of the houses of ordinary citizens were wooden with a thatched roof, which is why none of these structures have survived to this day.

Due to the fact that each new emperor erected another temple complex in Angkor, the center of the city was constantly shifting depending on which temple was considered the main one here at one time or another. In the end, the territory of Angkor grew up to 200 kilometers.

Thus, from about the tenth century AD to the end of the fifteenth century, Ankor was a million-plus city, while it was not only the religious, but also the political capital of the Khmer Empire, which dominated Southeast Asia at that time.

Unfortunately, in the fifteenth century the city was captured by the Siamese. After the looting and the epidemic that happened here a little later, Angkor was empty. Soon the city was completely swallowed up by the jungle, and many Khmer temples were rediscovered by archaeologists only in the nineteenth century.

THE FLOWERING OF THE HINDU ANGKOR

Angkor flourished in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Of course, many of the local temples are much older, but the most beautiful of the surviving ones (including the legendary Angkor Wat) were built during this period.

In the photo: the pool at the entrance to Angkor Wat

Travelers who visited Angkor at that time called the capital of the Khmers a city-kingdom, because in addition to the famous temples, there were hospitals, swimming pools, inns and many ashrams on its territory.

The foreigners were also struck by the water supply system that existed in Angkor: canals, dams and pools, called barays. Well, of course, the Royal Palace, built in Angkor, was a real embodiment of luxury and a symbol of the power of the empire.

ANGKOR WAT

The famous Angkor Wat- the temple complex dedicated to the god Vishnu, the largest place of worship in the world - was built by Emperor Suryavarman in the second quarter of the XII century.

It must be said that all the temples of Angkor have common features, and this is not only about the bas-reliefs, which traditionally depict iconic scenes from Hindu mythology, for example, great churning - a process in which gods and demons received amrita - a drink that gives immortality.

In the photo: the courtyard of Angkor Wat

In their structure, Khmer temples most of all resemble pyramids made of large stones (Angkor Wat, for example, consists of three pyramids). Such structures are called temple-mountain.

Another interesting point. In the Khmer tradition, the temple is not a place for prayers, but the place of residence of the gods, therefore, the entrance to the inside was ordered for mere mortals, only clergy and representatives of the aristocracy could freely enter the temple.

In the photo: the courtyard and barai of Angkor Wat

angkor wat- the embodiment of classical Khmer architecture. Rectangular structure surrounded by a moat; temple-mountain, which is crowned by three pyramids.

However, from all the other temples of the city of Angkor Wat, two important points distinguish. Firstly, this is the first temple dedicated to Vishnu, all previous temples of the city were dedicated only to Shiva. Secondly, Angkor Wat "looks west", although all the other temples of Angkor are oriented to the east, that is, towards the rising sun. Although today the temple is open to everyone, visitors to Angkor Wat must follow the dress code, you will not be allowed inside in shorts.

However, it is much more interesting to consider not the interior of the temple, but the bas-reliefs that adorn its walls, they are excellent illustrations of scenes from Indian mythology.

In the photo: the bas-relief "great churning" in Angkor Wat

Although Angkor Wat was founded as a Hindu temple, already in the sixteenth century it "converted to Buddhism" and continues to be a Buddhist sanctuary to this day.

Photo: Buddha statue at Angkor Wat

Another curious nuance: Angkor Wat was never completely abandoned. In spite of everything, services were always held here, which is why the temple complex has survived to this day in a much better condition than even later Khmer buildings.

BUDDHIST ANGKOR

During its history, Angkor managed to be both a Hindu and a Buddhist temple city.

The fact is that initially the Khmers professed Judaism, but by the end of the twelfth century Buddhism supplanted it. The largest number Buddhist temples built in Angkor by Jayavarman VII, who ruled the Khmer country at the end of the twelfth century. By the way, according to some historians, the emperor not only built temples, but also was a model for sculptors who sculpted the faces of Buddha in these temples.

ANGKOR THOM

Jayavarman VII's Masterpiece angkor thom temple complex. As planned by the emperor, Angkor Thom (translated as "Big City") was to become a separate city within Angkor, the capital within the capital of the Khmer Empire.

No sooner said than done. Angkor Thom was not just a complex of structures, this place was a reduced model of the universe, as the Khmer saw it. The "big city" is a square protected by a fortress wall and a moat filled with water. This is how the Khmers imagined the world - a piece of land surrounded by water.

Canals were laid around the city, and barai pools were created inside, in which, paradoxically, even women were allowed to bathe.

At least, the Chinese Zhou Daguan, who visited Angkor in the thirteenth century, tells about the collective bathing of the fair sex. On the towers of Angkor Thom and the walls surrounding the big city, you can see the faces of the Buddha. A road leads inside the city, which is “guarded” by sculptures of demons and gods.

There are several interesting objects inside the city at once. First - - state temple Jayavarman VII, it is considered to be the second temple of Angkor after Angkor Wat.

From afar, the temple seems like a simple heap of stones, but when you get closer to it, you realize that these are real pyramids, decorated with Buddha images. Bayon is crowned with 54 towers - it was from such a number of provinces that the ancient Khmer empire consisted. In the eastern part of Angkor Thom is the Terrace of the Elephants, which is easily recognizable by the sculptures of elephants and bas-reliefs depicting hunting scenes. According to the generally accepted version, it was here that the emperor sat during solemn ceremonies.

Now, near Bayon, one can constantly observe personalities depicting Shiva, garuda or apsaras. The price for a photo with them is the traditional $5.

TA PROHM

The second temple ensemble, erected by Jayavarman VII, was seen by all those who watched the film "Lara Croft - Tomb Raider", because the picture was shot just on the territory of this complex. The temple is dedicated to the emperor's mother.

During the time of Jayavarman VII, more than 12 thousand people lived in Ta Prohm, inside the temple was decorated with gold and precious stones, and hospitals were located on the territory of the complex, each of which served not only doctors, but also priests with astrologers.

In the photo: trees entwining the temple of Ta Prohm

Today, the giant temple complex is a ruin, and the roofs and walls of the buildings are entwined with tree roots. The sight is beautiful and creepy at the same time. .

In the photo: ruins and trees in Angkor

PREAH KHAN

The name Preah Knah is translated as "sword of glory" or "victory", because that was the name of the sword of the same Jayavarman VII. The temple is dedicated to the emperor's victory over the Chams, as a result of which the Cham country became a province of Cambodia.

Like all the occult buildings of Angkor, Preah Knah is huge, the temple complex, coupled with a hospital and an inn for pilgrims, occupied an area of ​​approximately 56 hectares.

The peculiarity of Preah Khan is that the temple complex was surrounded on all sides by moats, through which water flowed into reservoirs and a reservoir, in the center of which a pyramid was erected.

In addition to the temple-pyramid, local statues (they are preserved in surprisingly good condition) and bas-reliefs deserve attention: sculptures depicting garudas and bas-reliefs with dancing apsaras are found here at every step.

By the way, according to scientists, it was Preah Khan in ancient times that was the scene of a curious ritual. Celebrations were held here in honor of the Buddha: the Buddha statue was dressed up in luxurious clothes, cooks prepared food specially for the statue, and musicians and dancers entertained the statue with performances. Of course, now no such rituals are performed in Preah Khan, but the temple is not completely abandoned, incense and candles are still lit here.

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Julia Malkova- Julia Malkova - founder of the website project. Former editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about traveling for my own pleasure and the pleasure of readers. If you are a representative of hotels, tourism office, but we are not familiar, you can contact me by email: [email protected]