by

Majestic Angkor Wat

Introduction

Angkor derives from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘holy city’; ‘Wat’ in Khmer means ‘temple’. Angkor Wat, located 5.5 km north of the modern town of Siem Reap in northeast Cambodia represents a whole complex of wonderful temples and stonemasonry and artwork throughout this area. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia besides being the single largest religious structure in the world, and surely one of the world’s wonders of art and architecture.
Majestic Angkor Wat

The temples of Angkor were built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD. From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. Within an area of 120 sq. miles, the ruins contain some of the most imposing monuments in the world, including about a thousand temples, mainly Hindu and some Buddhist; the ancient city, however, had an extent some three times that size, and was home to perhaps 750,000 people. The structures one sees at Angkor today, more than 100 stone temples in all, are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis whose other buildings – palaces, public buildings, and houses – were built of wood and have long since decayed and disappeared. Angkor Wat was re-discovered by a French man about 150 years ago among heavy forestry, ready to become one of the most visited archaeological and artistic sites on the planet.

History

The initial design and construction of Angkor Wat took place in the first half of the 12th century, during the reign of Suryavarman II (1113 – c. 1150). Dedicated to Vishnu, it was built as the king’s state temple and capital city. As neither the foundation nor any contemporary inscriptions referring to the temple have been found, its original name is unknown, but it may have been known as Vrah Vishnulok after the presiding deity. Work seems to have ended shortly after the king’s death, leaving some of the bas-relief decoration unfinished. In 1177, approximately 27 years after the death of Suryavarman II, Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer. Thereafter the empire was restored by a new king, Jayavarman VII, who established a new capital and state temple (Angkor Thom and the Bayon respectively) a few kilometres to the north.

In the late 13th century, Angkor Wat gradually moved from Hindu to Theravada Buddhist use, which continues to the present day. Angkor Wat is unusual among the Angkor temples in that although it was somewhat neglected after the 16th century it was never completely abandoned, its preservation being due in part to the fact that its moat also provided some protection from encroachment by the jungle.

The true history of Angkor Wat was pieced together only from stylistic and epigraphic evidence accumulated during the clearing and restoration work carried out across the whole Angkor site. There were no ordinary dwellings or houses or other signs of settlement including cooking utensils, weapons, or items of clothing usually found at ancient sites. Instead there is the evidence of the monuments themselves.

Angkor Wat required considerable restoration in the 20th century, mainly the removal of accumulated earth and vegetation. Work was interrupted by the civil war and Khmer Rouge control of the country during the 1970s and 1980s, but relatively little damage was done during this period other than the theft and destruction of mostly post-Angkorian statues.

The temple is a powerful symbol of Cambodia, and is a source of great national pride that has factored into Cambodia’s diplomatic relations with its neighbour Thailand, France and the United States. The splendid artistic legacy of Angkor Wat and other Khmer monuments in the Angkor region led directly to France adopting Cambodia as a protectorate on 11 August 1863. This quickly led to Cambodia reclaiming lands in the northwestern corner of the country that had been under Thai control since the Thai invasion of 1431 AD. Cambodia gained independence from France on 9 November 1953 and has controlled Angkor Wat since that time.

Angkor Wat Today

Since the 1990s, Angkor Wat has seen continued conservation efforts and a massive increase in tourism. The temple is part of the Angkor World Heritage Site, established in 1992, which has provided some funding and has encouraged the Cambodian government to protect the site. A survey found that around 20% of the devatas were in very poor condition, mainly because of natural erosion and deterioration of the stone but in part also due to earlier restoration efforts. Other work involves the repair of collapsed sections of the structure, and prevention of further collapse.

Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination. In 2004 and 2005, government figures suggest that, respectively, 561,000 and 677,000 foreign visitors arrived in Siem Reap province, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia for both years. The influx of tourists has so far caused relatively little damage, other than some graffiti; ropes and wooden steps have been introduced to protect the bas-reliefs and floors, respectively. Tourism has also provided some additional funds for maintenance—as of 2000 approximately 28% of ticket revenues across the whole Angkor site was spent on the temples—although most work is carried out by foreign government sponsored teams rather than by the Cambodian authorities.

Architecture and Style

Angkor Wat is the prime example of the classical style of Khmer architecture—the Angkor Wat style—to which it has given its name. By the 12th century Khmer architects had become skilled and confident in the use of sandstone (rather than brick or laterite) as the main building material. Most of the visible areas are of sandstone blocks, while laterite was used for the outer wall and for hidden structural parts.

Angkor Wat is a unique combination of the temple mountain, the standard design for the empire’s state temples, the later plan of concentric galleries, and influences from Orissa and the Chola of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods: the central quincunx of towers symbolises the five peaks of the mountain, and the walls and moat the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean. Access to the upper areas of the temple was progressively more exclusive, with the laity being admitted only to the lowest level.
Angkor Wat Aerial

Angkor Wat has drawn praise above all for the harmony of its design, which has been compared to the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. According to Maurice Glaize, a mid-20th-century conservator of Angkor, the temple “attains a classic perfection by the restrained monumentality of its finely balanced elements and the precise arrangement of its proportions. It is a work of power, unity and style.”

Features

Outer enclosure: The outer wall is surrounded by open ground and a moat. Access to the temple is by an earth bank to the east and a sandstone causeway to the west; the latter, the main entrance, is a later addition, possibly replacing a wooden bridge. The outer wall encloses a space, which besides the temple proper was originally occupied by the city and, to the north of the temple, the royal palace. Like all secular buildings of Angkor, these were built of perishable materials rather than of stone, so nothing remains of them except the outlines of some of the streets. Most of the area is now covered by forest.

Central structure: The temple stands on a terrace raised higher than the city. It is made of three rectangular galleries rising to a central tower, each level higher than the last. Each gallery has a gopura (a monumental tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of any temple) at each of the points, and the two inner galleries each have towers at their corners, forming a quincunx.

The outer gallery has pavilions rather than towers at the corners. The gallery is open to the outside of the temple, with columned half-galleries extending and buttressing the structure. Connecting the outer gallery to the second enclosure on the west side is a cruciform cloister called Preah Poan (the “Hall of a Thousand Buddhas”). This area has many inscriptions relating the good deeds of pilgrims, most written in Khmer but others in Burmese and Japanese. The four small courtyards marked out by the cloister may originally have been filled with water. North and south of the cloister are libraries.

Hall of Thousand Buddhas

Beyond, the second and inner galleries are connected to each other and to two flanking libraries by another cruciform terrace, again a later addition. From the second level upwards, devatas abound on the walls, individually or in groups of up to four. The second-level enclosure may originally have been flooded to represent the ocean around Mount Meru. Three sets of steps on each side lead up to the corner towers and gopuras of the inner gallery. The very steep stairways represent the difficulty of ascending to the kingdom of the gods. This inner gallery, called the Bakan, is a square with axial galleries connecting each gopura with the central shrine, and subsidiary shrines located below the corner towers. The roofings of the galleries are decorated with the motif of the body of a snake ending in the heads of lions or garudas.

Bakan

Carved lintels and pediments decorate the entrances to the galleries and to the shrines. The tower above the central shrine rises above the ground; unlike those of previous temple mountains, the central tower is raised above the surrounding four. The shrine itself, originally occupied by a statue of Vishnu and open on each side, was walled in when the temple was converted to Theravada Buddhism, the new walls featuring standing Buddhas.

Decoration: Integrated with the architecture of the building, and one of the causes for its fame is Angkor Wat’s extensive decoration, which predominantly takes the form of bas-relief (is a projecting image with a shallow overall depth, for example used on coins, on which all images are in low relief) friezes. The inner walls of the outer gallery bear a series of large-scale scenes mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. From the northwest corner anti-clockwise, the western gallery shows the Battle of Lanka (from the Ramayana, in which Rama defeats Ravana) and the Battle of Kurukshetra (from the Mahabharata, showing the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava and Pandava clans). On the southern gallery follow the only historical scene, a procession of Suryavarman II, then the 32 hells and 37 heavens of Hindu mythology.

Gallery

On the eastern gallery is one of the most celebrated scenes, the Churning of the Sea of Milk, showing 92 asuras and 88 devas using the serpent Vasuki to churn the sea under Vishnu’s direction. It is followed by Vishnu defeating asuras (a 16th-century addition). The northern gallery shows Krishna’s victory over Bana and a battle between the Hindu gods and asuras. The northwest and southwest corner pavilions both feature much smaller-scale scenes, some unidentified but most from the Ramayana or the life of Krishna.

Churning of the Sea Milk

Sarah Widjaja and Saurabh Sud

* * *

Bibliography

1. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668
2. http://sacredsites.com/asia/cambodia/angkor_wat.html
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat
4. http://www.autoriteapsara.org/en/angkor/temples_sites/temples/
angkor_vat.html
5. http://www.devata.org/2010/01/angkor-wat-top-shrine-reopens-to-visitors/

9,032 thoughts on “Majestic Angkor Wat”

  4. 7meter Situs Parlay Bola Terbaik di Indonesia Nikmati Pengalaman Taruhan yang Aman, Nyaman, dan Menguntungkan Prediksi Parlay Jitu Setiap Hari! agen bola

  6. A fluidez do 70vip bet game online é um dos grandes diferenciais da plataforma. Os jogos carregam de forma rápida e funcionam sem travamentos, proporcionando uma experiência agradável e contínua. Isso torna a plataforma ideal tanto para quem joga em dispositivos potentes quanto para quem utiliza celulares mais simples. 70vip plataforma

  11. Walking out and about into the Online marketing arena can be quite a overwhelming endeavor for lawyer search engine optimization that novice internet business small business owner. These we outline twelve with a vey important details that will keep in mind making plans for the first plan. 강남 사라있네

  15. Hindustan Engineering Works is a leading manufacturer of conveyor rollers, idlers, and belt conveyor components in India We supply durable, dustproof impact resistant rollers for mining, cement, power plants bulk material handling Roller conveyor

  16. A crescente popularidade da 7ggg Bet game online não é por acaso. A plataforma oferece uma experiência completa, com jogos dinâmicos, recursos modernos e ferramentas desenvolvidas para proporcionar conforto ao jogador. Uma das grandes vantagens é a compatibilidade com dispositivos móveis, tornando possível acessar os jogos 24 horas por dia. Além disso, a 7ggg Bet investe em tecnologia, garantindo velocidade, estabilidade e desempenho. A plataforma também se destaca pelas opções variadas, agradando diferentes perfis de jogadores, desde aqueles que preferem partidas rápidas até os que gostam de jogos mais estratégicos. Tudo isso contribui para que a 7ggg Bet se consolide como uma das plataformas mais fortes entre os brasileiros. 7ggg

  17. Quem procura desempenho e rapidez encontra isso na 7ggg Bet game online. O site utiliza servidores de alta velocidade e tecnologia otimizada para garantir que os jogos carreguem rapidamente. A navegação dentro da plataforma é extremamente fluida, com menus bem organizados e funções de fácil acesso. Além disso, o design profissional transmite confiança e profissionalismo. Muitos jogadores destacam a estabilidade do sistema, que segue funcionando perfeitamente mesmo durante horários de pico. Esses aspectos fazem da 7ggg Bet uma escolha certeira para quem quer jogar sem travamentos e com a melhor experiência possível. 7ggg

  18. A 7ggg Bet game online apresenta uma interface intuitiva especialmente apreciada por jogadores brasileiros. Tudo é organizado para facilitar a navegação, desde as categorias de jogos até as funções principais da plataforma. A compatibilidade com smartphones também é uma vantagem importante, permitindo jogar a qualquer hora. A responsividade da plataforma faz com que tudo funcione bem em telas grandes ou pequenas, mantendo sempre o mesmo desempenho excelente. Graças a isso, a 7ggg Bet continua atraindo novos usuários diariamente 7ggg

  19. 999slot là cổng game bài đổi thưởng hàng đầu Việt Nam, nổi bật với giao diện hiện đại, bảo mật cao và kho trò chơi đa dạng như Tài Xỉu, Tiến Lên, Baccarat. Đăng ký dễ dàng, nạp rút siêu nhanh – 999SLOT là điểm đến lý tưởng cho mọi cược thủ!

  20. A p80bet game online oferece ferramentas exclusivas que permitem personalizar a experiência do usuário. É possível marcar jogos favoritos, acompanhar histórico, ajustar preferências e configurar notificações. Esse nível de personalização torna a navegação mais inteligente e prática. p80bet

  21. A p80bet game online se destaca como uma plataforma moderna e completa para quem busca entretenimento digital. Com interface limpa, menus bem organizados e carregamento rápido, a p80bet oferece uma experiência profissional, ideal tanto para novos usuários quanto para jogadores avançados. Sua estrutura foi pensada para entregar conforto, desempenho e acessibilidade, tornando-a uma opção cada vez mais procurada no Brasil. p80bet

  22. A p80bet game online foi desenvolvida para funcionar perfeitamente em dispositivos móveis. O site é responsivo e adaptado para telas pequenas, oferecendo a mesma qualidade da versão desktop. Isso permite que os jogadores aproveitem seus jogos favoritos de qualquer lugar, com praticidade e total fluidez, sem travamentos. p80bet

  24. OLE777 – Login tham gia cá cược trực tuyến tại nhà cái hàng đầu với đủ các thể loại game đổi thưởng. Nơi mọi trò chơi được sàng lọc và nâng cấp, mang đến cho người dùng trải nghiệm tốt nhất.

  27. trang chủ 28bet là một trong những nhà cái trực tuyến hàng đầu, nổi bật với giao diện thân thiện và đa dạng sản phẩm cá cược từ thể thao đến ca cuoc. Với giấy phép hoạt động hợp pháp và hệ thống bảo mật hiện đại, 28bet mang đến trải nghiệm chơi game an toàn, minh bạch và hấp dẫn cho người chơi trên toàn thế giới. Đây là điểm đến lý tưởng cho các cược thủ chuyên nghiệp và người mới.

  28. Outro destaque da 79567 bet game online é sua interface inteligente e recursos personalizados. O usuário pode configurar seus jogos favoritos, ajustar preferências, visualizar histórico e navegar de forma muito prática. Essa personalização melhora a experiência geral e torna cada visita mais rápida e eficiente. 79567

  29. A 79567 bet game online representa uma nova geração de plataformas digitais feitas para quem busca diversão com praticidade. Seu design moderno, carregamento rápido e menus organizados tornam a navegação simples e eficiente. É uma opção ideal para quem deseja acesso rápido a jogos variados sem complicação. 79567

  30. A segurança é uma prioridade na 79567 bet game online. A plataforma utiliza tecnologias modernas de proteção digital para garantir que os dados dos usuários permaneçam seguros. Isso proporciona uma experiência confiável e tranquila, reforçando a seriedade e a credibilidade que muitos jogadores procuram. 79567

  31. https://ytmp3.cn.com/ là địa chỉ giải trí trực tuyến được nhiều người tìm đến khi muốn trải nghiệm những trò chơi có nhịp độ sôi động và cảm giác lôi cuốn. Giao diện được bố trí thông minh giúp bạn dễ dàng theo dõi, tìm kiếm và tham gia vào các phòng chơi mình yêu thích. 6FF còn thường xuyên cập nhật nội dung, chia sẻ góc nhìn thực chiến và các mẹo nhỏ giúp người dùng chủ động hơn trong từng lựa chọn, mang lại cảm giác giải trí trọn vẹn và thú vị.

  32. “Nulls Brawl is enjoyable for players who want to test different brawlers and practice new ideas. It’s a relaxed way to explore gameplay without pressure. Many people like trying features freely and improving their skills while enjoying smooth and simple matches.” nulls brawl ios

  33. 11 win – sân chơi cá cược trực tuyến uy tín hàng đầu, mang đến trải nghiệm đẳng cấp với kho game đa dạng: đá gà,nổ hũ, bắn cá, thể thao… cùng tỷ lệ thắng hấp dẫn, nạp rút siêu tốc và bảo mật tuyệt đối.

  34. The Jenny Mod adds new characters, features, and interactions to enhance gameplay. Explore unique storylines, customize your world, and enjoy creative adventures. Perfect for players looking to expand Minecraft with exciting new content.

  35. “Nulls Brawl atualizado traz uma experiência mais fluida e agradável para jogadores que gostam de explorar recursos atualizados. As novas mudanças ajudam a melhorar a jogabilidade e tornam o teste de personagens mais divertido. Muitos usuários apreciam as atualizações recentes, os controles simples e a oportunidade de praticar diferentes estratégias em um ambiente descontraído.” nulls brawl atualizado

  37. Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thank you Nonetheless I am experiencing concern with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anybody getting identical rss problem? Anybody who knows kindly respond. Thnkx 오산출장마사지

  38. https://alc88.co/ ngày càng thu hút sự quan tâm của đông đảo người chơi trong thị trường hiện đại. Với lời cam kết mang đến trải nghiệm giải trí đỉnh cao cùng vô số chương trình ưu đãi hấp dẫn, đây là sân chơi lý tưởng cho những ai đam mê kiếm tiền từ các hoạt động cá cược và giải trí số. Thông tin chi tiết dưới đây sẽ giúp bạn hoàn toàn yên tâm khi tham gia vào thương hiệu uy tín hàng đầu này.

  39. OLE777 – Nhà cái trực tuyến được cộng đồng cược thủ VIệt Nam đặc biệt yêu thích. Nơi các trò chơi đổi thưởng được diễn ra minh bạch cùng nhiều phần thưởng lớn. https://ole777.autos/ là link vào OLE777 mới nhất không bị chặn. Đảm bảo hơn với hệ thống bảo mật mới giúp thông tin tài khoản của hội viên được an toàn.

  40. https://5588aa.info/ là một trong những nền tảng cá cược trực tuyến hàng đầu hiện nay tại Việt Nam, mang đến hệ sinh thái giải trí đa dạng, dịch vụ chuyên nghiệp và chính sách bảo mật tuyệt đối. Tại đây, người chơi có thể dễ dàng tham gia các trò chơi cá cược thể thao, xổ số, trực tuyến, game nổ hũ, bắn cá đổi thưởng cùng nhiều lựa chọn hấp dẫn khác.

  41. 999slot là một nền tảng giải trí trực tuyến hàng đầu hiện nay, thu hút hàng triệu người dùng tại Việt Nam và khu vực Đông Nam Á. Với giao diện thân thiện, tốc độ truy cập nhanh và tính bảo mật cao, 999SLOT mang đến trải nghiệm giải trí mượt mà, an toàn. Nền tảng này cung cấp đa dạng dịch vụ như game, cá cược thể thao, trực tuyến và nhiều hình thức giải trí hấp dẫn khác.

  42. Quickly this particular web address may irrefutably wind up renowned between each and every composing lots of people, due to persistent content articles as well as evaluations as well as rankings. Vegas 88

  43. Thanks for another informative web site. Where else could I get that kind of information written in such an ideal way? I’ve a project that I’m just now working on, and I have been on the look out for such information. Agen Togel

  46. Gaga tweeted a message as well as a web page link to Japan Prayer Bracelets. She fashioned a bracelet, with almost all sales revenue going to Japanese relief initiatives Dewa Live

  48. I like your release. It can be wonderful to discover somebody make clear throughout words and phrases inside centre and also clearness about it vital theme may be simply discovered. Daftar Poker88

  50. I believe, life’s more for example a battlefield, both equally armies skin oneself, the light gives you Pifu all the bravery is just not just enough, there has to be tip, there are actually certain schemes together with projects prior to they’re able to do anything whatsoever, we will need to think carefully about, not necessarily blind to this problem, systems work efficiently possibly not set off unneeded waste together with letdown. Situs Bola88

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *