Angkor

• Address: Charles De Gaulle, Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Area: 200 square meters. km.
• Foundation date: 802 g. e.
• Founder: Jayavarman II
• Opening hours: 5.00-17.30
• The cost of visiting: 20 dollars per day, 40 - 3 days, 60 - a week

Many travelers consider Angkor Wat to be the visiting card of Cambodia . This is a huge Hindu temple complex, according to UNESCO classification considered an important cultural property of mankind. But not everyone knows that this is just part of the ancient historical region of the country - Angkor, formerly the center of the Khmer Empire. It existed in the IX - XV centuries.

The name of this region, as the researchers believe, comes from the Sanskrit word "nagara", meaning "holy city". The Angkor prosperity period in Cambodia began in 802, when the Khmer emperor Jayavarman II proclaimed his divinity and unlimited power and actually moved the capital of the state here.

What is the ancient city of Angkor?

In our time this ancient settlement resembles a classic city, but rather a city-temple. This is explained by the fact that during the Khmer Empire almost all dwellings and public buildings were built using wood, and it is destroyed very quickly in a hot climate with high humidity. The ruins of the local temples have survived quite well, because they were erected from sandstone. The fortress walls were built of tuff.

Now the ruins of the Angkor temple complex surround the tropical forest and agricultural lands. They are located north of Lake Tonle Sap and in the south - from the Kulen Plateau, near the modern metropolis of Siem Reap in the province of the same name. The distance from the city center to the ancient buildings is about 5 km.

The size of the city of Angkor temples is impressive: its length from north to south is 8 km, and from west to east - 24 km. Connoisseurs of antiquity will be surprised by the fact that all the buildings in it are built without the use of cement or other binding materials. Stone blocks in them are linked by the type of lock. Present in the local temples and mysticism: if you look from the aircraft to the complex from above, it becomes obvious that the location of the temples corresponds to the position of the stars in the constellation of the Dragon on the day of the vernal equinox at dawn in 10500 BC. This date is associated with the cyclical rotation of the celestial North Pole around the center of the constellation, but the significance of such arrangement of buildings for the ancient Khmers is not fully understood.

How best to inspect the temple complex?

To get acquainted with all the sights of Angkor, one day you will not be enough. However, if you are limited in time, you can order a tour around the Small Circle to see the main sanctuaries. The length of the route will be about 20 km. If you prefer to thoroughly immerse yourself in the history of Cambodia and imbued with its culture, stay here for another two days. On the second day you will learn about the appearance of the Great Circle temples scattered over the area of ​​25 square meters. km., and the third day can be devoted to the examination of distant monuments of ancient architecture.

The entrance fee for the site of the attraction is $ 20 per day, $ 40 for three days and $ 60 for the week. Tickets are not valid for visiting the temples of Beng Meala, Koh Kehr and Phnom Kulen, for entrance to which you will have to pay respectively 5, 10 and 20 dollars. Passes with your photo are made right on the spot, at the entrance to the temple complex. You can also buy them at the second entrance, through which motorists from a toll road leading to Banteay Srey and the airport pass to the "dead" city.

List of Angkor Temples in Cambodia

On the square, once occupied by the ancient Khmer capital, and now you can see the well-preserved ruins of Hindu and Buddhist sacred buildings. Among them we can distinguish such structures:

1. Temples of Angkor Wat. This complex of buildings is considered to be the largest in the world Hindu sanctuary dedicated to the god Vishnu. The main difference of the temple is the presence in it of three levels, because it consists of several fenced concentric spaces, which include 3 rectangular galleries. They are connected with each other by galleries in the form of a cross and rise one above the other, forming a three-stage pyramid.
2. Phnom-Bakheng. This is one of the first temples built here in 9-10 centuries. It is a five-tiered structure, decorated with many towers.
3. Angkor Thom (in translation "the big city"). This is the most important citadel of the city and the center of the temple complex. In the sanctuary you can see the elephant terrace, the three-tier pyramid Bayon, the Victory Gate, the leper-roof terrace, stone bridges, etc.
4. The Bayon Temple , which is one of the most interesting elements of the Angkor temple complex in Cambodia thanks to the original architectural solution. This three-level building with a set of square towers of various heights, on each side of which the stone face of the Buddha is sculpted.
5. The monastery of Pre-Kan, which includes the temples of Ta-Som and Nik-Pin (XII century).
6. Banteil-Kdei .
7. Ta-Prom, which has not lost its authenticity for the past centuries.
8. Bakong, considered the first architectural embodiment of a mountain temple.
9. Banteay-Srey , famous for his fantastic bas-reliefs.
10. Phnom Kulen.
11. Koh Ker.
12. Beng Meala.
13. Chau Sei Tevoda.
14. Thomannon.
15. Ta Keo.
16. Prasat Kravan.
17. East Mebon.
18. Pre Rup.
19. That Som.
20. Neak Pean .
21. Preah Kahn.

The last five temples belong to the Great Circle, i.e. are included in the somewhat extended tourist route, which includes, of course, all the other sanctuaries of the Small Circle.

How to get to Angkor?

Before you start, it's worth finding out where Angkor is. The city is located 6 km north of Siem Reap and 240 km west of Phnom Penh. The easiest way is to hire a car or a tuk-tuk directly at the hotel, which will take you directly to the entrance of the complex, and by agreement and will be able to drive through its territory. Rent a tuk-tuk will cost you 10-20 dollars, auto - at $ 25 per day. At the same time, you will enjoy the opportunity to independently plan a sightseeing plan, and not depend, for example, on the bus schedule.

Helpful Tips

When visiting an ancient city lost in the jungle, one should heed the following tips:

1. Be sure to take the maps and guide to avoid getting lost. The area of ​​the temple complex is so large that without a guide you risk wandering aimlessly there for several hours.
2. Purchase local insect repellent from mosquitoes for more comfort at any time of day or night during the excursion.
3. Near the temples you can buy food, drinks, ice cream and even beer, but no more spirits. So, to stock up on kilograms of food, when planning an excursion, it is not worth it.
4. Wear clothes made of light and blown fabric, as well as quality shoelaces. After all, you have to climb not one building under the rays of the scorching sun. Do not interfere and sunglasses, a hat such as a straw hat and a raincoat just in case.