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Editor Pick

Angkor Wat’s Central Temple

  • February 18, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel
Angkor Wat’s Central Temple



Name

"Angkor" is a distortion of the Khmer word "nokor" which is derived from the Sanskrit "nagara" (capital). Wat means temple, thus Angkor Wat means the Capital's Temple. However, the temple was originally named Preah Pisnulok, after its founder - King Suryavarman II - title after his death.

Location

Angkor Wat is six kilometers north of Siem Reap, and two kilometers south of Angkor Thom.

Related Sites

One of the Khmer provinces in those days was within modern Thailand, Phimai features a temple resembling a downscaled Angkor Wat.

Religious Role

King Suryavarman II built Angkor Wat between 1113 and 1150AC as his state temple. At first it was Hindu and dedicated to Vishnu, instead of the traditional Shiva of earlier Khmer temples, but afterwards it became a center of Buddhist worshipping. Angkor Wat is the epitome of Khmer architecture and have became Cambodia's symbol, appearing even on its flag.

The temple is in fact an open Hindu encyclopedia, which can be read on several fashions. As a geographical text, the baray represent the oceans surrounding earth, the walls are the mountains enclosing the world, and the four sides of the temple represent the different landmasses and the peak at the center Mount Meru - the gods' abode. The central quincunx of towers symbolizes the mountain five peaks; access to the temple upper areas was progressively more exclusive. On the temporal angle, the baray represents the present, while the central point is the universe creation time. On the social interpretation, the center represents the god-king, while in the Buddhist angle the three steps depicts the different here steps of spiritual development: the center represents the achievement of nirvana.

In 1177AC Angkor was sacked by the Cham, subsequently, King Jayavarman VII established a new capital at Angkor Thom and a new state temple called Bayon. Later, the temple was adapted for Theravada Buddhism use.

Unusual Angles

Orientation

Angkor Wat is oriented to the west, unlike most other temples in the area. Many scholars think Suryavarman wanted it to be his funerary temple, mainly since a funerary jar was found in the central tower. Moreover, the bas-reliefs proceed in a counter-clockwise direction in reverse of the normal ritual order; this is a supporting evidence of the claim, since in Brahmin practices during funerals some rituals are performed in reverse order. However, the temple was dedicated to Vishnu, who was associated with the west.

Continuity

Angkor Wat is the only temple within the complex that was never completely abandoned; furthermore, the surrounding forests never managed to cross the moat surrounding it, fact that further helped its survival.

Fake Arches

As the Cham, the Khmer did no know how to construct arches. Thus, all the corridors within the temple - along which the bas-reliefs are - feature triangular fake arches; there is no top stone stabilizing the fake arch.

Harmony

The dented oval towers of the temple are shaped like lotus buds and define the temples symmetry, creating a pleasant balance parallel in its evocative strength to the one used in ancient Greece. The five towers are arranged so that the central one is higher than the four others on the corners. By the sunrise, their outline against the dark skies created unforgettable views.

The Temple

The surrounding wall measure 1024 by 802m and is 4.5m high, the moat next to it is 190m wide. The main access to the temple is through a sandstone causeway at its west, an earth bank allows access through the east.

Gopura gates are placed at the cardinal points; the western one was the larges and featured three towers, which resemble a downscaled view of the temple behind it from this spot. A 350m walkway with naga handrails connects the western gopura to the temple. Each side also features a library and a pond between the library and the temple. The ponds are later additions to the design, as is the stone-lions guarded cruciform terrace connecting the causeway to the 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 features gopura gates, while the two inner ones have corner towers, forming a quincunx with the central tower.

The outer gallery measures 187 by 215m, with pavilions at the corners, and is connected to the second one on the west side with a cruciform cloister called Preah Poan (Thousand Buddhas), referring to the statues left there by pilgrims. North and south of the cloister are libraries. The inner walls of the outer gallery bear a series of large bas-reliefs depicting episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata Hindu epics, including the battles of Lanka and Kurukshetra as well as the Hindu 32 hells and 37 heavens. On the southern gallery is the only historical scene, a procession of King Suryavarman II. Small squares were cut out of the scenes after the final fall of the kingdom in order to destroy the site's alleged black magic powers.

From the second level upwards, protecting devata guardian-deities abound on the walls, alone or in groups of up to four. The second-level enclosure is 100 by 115m. Three sets of steps on each side lead up to the corner towers and gopuras of the inner gallery.

The square inner gallery is called Bakan, each side measures 60m and features axial galleries connecting each gopura with the central temple and secondary temples located below the corner towers.

The tower above the central shrine rises 43m to a height of 65m above the ground; unlike those of earlier temple-mountains, the central tower is raised above the surrounding four, giving Angkor Wat its unmistakable shape. The shrine itself, originally occupied by a statue of Vishnu and open on each side, was walled in when the temple was adapted to Theravada Buddhism by adding standing Buddhas on the new walls.

From journal Godless Angkor

Editor Pick

Angkor Wat

  • March 7, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by alan_nesbit from Singapore, Singapore
Angkor Wat

We left the hotel at 5:30am, to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. There were a few people carrying their goods to market in darkness as we drove through Siem Reap, but as we drove northwards out of town, it became clear that we were joining a long line of vehicles heading to the same place as we were. The sky cleared slowly and when the sun did finally appear, briefly turned orange behind the towers.

One of the charms of Angkor in general is the large number of temples, each with their own character. However, Angkor Wat is justifiably the most well known, if only for its size. You cross the causeway over the surrounding moat and enter the first gateway to see that the causeway continues into the distance before reaching the temple buildings. The central part is set high above the surrounding countryside. As at Ta Keo, steep steps climb to the top and even with the handrail it’s a test of nerves.

We went back in the afternoon to have a look at the carvings on the wall of the lower gallery. Depictions of historical and mythical characters and events run for hundreds of metres, the stone in places rubbed to a dark colour by many exploring hands.

From journal The Temples at Angkor

Editor Pick

Angkor Wat

  • February 26, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Kez from Broadbeach Waters, Australia
Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is so amazing and huge, in both area and height. Because of the lighting, it is best to visit after 2pm.

Keep your eyes peeled for the families of monkeys on the side of the road just before you reach Angkor Wat. They make a great photo opportunity.


When you first arrive you enter through a long causeway over the moat, into the temple complex itself. We opted to walk on into the centre of the main temple complex first.


If you do this remember that the gallery in the outside wall holds some of the most amazing bas-relief carvings, including the famous Churning of the Ocean Milk. These extend around the interior of the wall, about 1km in total. If you arrive amidst a flurry of tour buses, come back after they leave as you won’t get a look in otherwise. They are so beautifully carved, it is like watching an epic story unfold before your eyes. They need to be followed counterclockwise to follow the story.

Within the main temple complex ,there are many more carvings of the Asparas and other relief’s. I really loved the way nearly every window opening had these beautifully-carved small stone pillars, I don’t know their technical name but some were in false windows for ornamentation and others formed a semi-curtain over actual openings.

You then need to climb up the towers, be warned that the steps are very steep and not for the fainthearted. There are many more chambers with offerings, and you receive a fabulous view of Angkor and the surrounding countryside.

One of the nicest things about Angkor Wat is the large number of monks that you meet whilst wandering around, all keen to practice their English and meet travelers from various parts of the world. They're happy to be photographed, and are very photogenic at that.

We also had a young girl start scampering behind us. After some time she became less shy, and once we coaxed her out with some gummy bears that was it, she was with us for our whole visit. When she was tired, she gave a yawn and disappeared.

From journal Amazing Temples of Angkor

Editor Pick

Angkor Wat

  • February 20, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Composthp from Singapore, Singapore
Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is the ancient capital city of the Khmer Empire, dating back to 9th century, under Jayavarman VII (1181-1218). It epitomises Cambodian spirituality, culture, and history. Despite centuries of pilferage by colonial masters, neighbours, and in modern history, by the Khmer Rouge, the beauty and magnificence of Angkor Wat remains undisputed in South East Asia.

Angkor Wat has always evoked an image of a lost city amidst thick jungle, and the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raiders depicts it perfectly. In reality, Angkor Wat is under constant restoration, aided by different agencies from across the globe. The jungle has been tamed into manicured lawns and pavements for the convenience of tourists exploring the grounds. During our weekend sojourn, we lost count of the number of coaches bearing noisy Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, and European tourists, not to mention independent travellers like us pouring into every corner of Angkor Wat.

We arrived at the checkpoint before Angkor Wat in less than 20 minutes from our hotel. There, we headed into the office for a head-shot, needed for the application of the permit pass into Angkor Wat. The whole process took less than 10 minutes and was hassle-free.

Upon arriving at Angkor Wat, we were swept away by the vista before us. We showed our newly minted pass to the guards, and made our way across the moat via the causeway. The moat seemed more like a river and is a favourite spot for local children to swim in and cool off, especially during the warmer seasons. Welcoming visitors at the end of the causeway are the impressive nagas, or the seven-headed serpents (each representing a day of the week).

Appreciating Angkor Wat became a challenge for us. We had to navigate around the large number of tourists, vying for spots to view the intricate carvings of the bas-reliefs, waiting our turns to climb up and down the temples, and of course, taking photographs. The latter proved especially challenging, as we tried to capture the beauty of Angkor Wat and tourists who had a knack of walking into the frame at the exact moment our fingers pressed the trigger—thank God for digital and the delete button.

Our guide, Mr. Thy was quick to point out the various interest points which we might have otherwise missed had we chose to see the sights on our own. He regaled us with local tidbits and stories, especially those depicted on the bas-reliefs and was patient in answering our questions. We spent a leisurely 2 hours exploring the grounds before heading for Phnom Bakheng for a sunset view of Angkor Wat and the Lake Tonle Sap.

This website gives a succinct summary of each temple in Siem Reap.

From journal In the Footsteps of Lara Croft

Editor Pick

The Temples of Ankor Wat

  • January 19, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by vagabond77 from New York, New York
The Temples of Ankor Wat

I could go on and on about the temples of Ankor Wat, as they are beautiful and well worth the trip, so I'm just going to post some pictures.

Some recommendations: buy either a book specifically dealing with the temples of Ankor Wat and/or hire a tour guide. If you hire a tour guide I recommend requesting one with many years of experience and/or a background in Cambodian history.

I did both. My family and I went around with a tour guide for a few days. Then I spent one day going around by myself on a moto/tuk-tuk. Our tour guide wasn't great; in fact, his knowledge of the ancient Hindu temples was extremely poor. (I should note that I majored in religious studies, with concentrations in Buddhism and Hinduism, in college. So, for me, going around by myself was the most entertaining.) The moto experience was really fun; just bring a scarf or a handkerchief to cover your mouth when the road gets dusty.

There's also a lot of walking up and down stairs, and they can be quite challenging for those with physical disabilities.

From journal Pretending to be a Tomb Raider

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