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Ta Prohm

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Editor Pick

Ta Prohm

  • June 15, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel
Ta Prohm

Few attractions are so ironic, few laugh so openly at the endless line of visitors who in infinitesimal steps consume it, each one taking a few sand grains on his shoes.

The irony in the iconic picture of Ta Prohm escapes most visitors; the view of giant trees slowly digesting the temples beneath them is so overwhelming that most travelers stay speechless and thoughtless. Yet, in their own fashion, the humans - acting as walking analogues to the trees - are doing just the same.

The beauty is unusual. The site is the contact interface between big trees and old stone temples, so big that it cannot be wholly appreciated from nearby; within the temple all is left for the visitor to see are the surprising encounters between smooth, living roots and the porously decaying stones.

Location

Located approximately one kilometer east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray near Tonle Bati.

History

King Jayavarman VII built Ta Prohm in the 1186AC as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university; originally it was called Rajavihara, meaning Royal Temple.

The temple honored the king's family; its main image represents Prajnaparamita - wisdom - but it was designed after the king's mother. Nearby is the temple of Preah Khan, which in 1191AC was modeled after the king's father and dedicated to the Bodhisattva of compassion - Lokesvara.

According to a stele, when active, the temple housed more than 12500 people, 615 dancers and eighteen high priests.

Modern Times

Ta Prohm has been left to merge with the rainforest, in the same condition in which it was found, since eradicating the invading trees would lead to the temples destruction. Much work is being done to stabilize the trees-temples complex.

The Temple

Ta Prohm is different from the most famous temples in Angkor since it does not resemble a pyramid, but a flat complex of closely packed structures.

The external wall is 650 by 1000 meters long; the forest has reclaimed most of this area and the northern and southern gates cannot thus be used anymore. The inner structures are arranged facing the east, as most other temples in Angkor.

Face towers like those at the Bayon were added by the gates during the 13th century; some of them have collapsed. The temple's basic plan is hard to discern nowadays due to the damage caused by the trees; not all the passages within the structures are accessible and some structures have been utterly destroyed.

Some bas-reliefs depicting Buddhist scenes have survived, though they are much less impressive than those at Angkor Wat. Moreover, the trees' roots descending from the temples' roofs largely determine the visitor's path. However, the issue is secondary since this visit is not aimed at studying a Khmer temple - there are better-conserved ones in Angkor, but to see their splendid merging with the strangling trees.

Strangling Trees

Two types of trees strangle the temples. The larger ones are the silk-cotton trees (Ceiba pentandra), which grow straight and high; the smaller and greener ones are strangler figs (Ficus gibbosa).

Why does Ta Prohm look familiar if this is my first time in the place?

The temple was used in the film Tomb Raider and was extensively featured in its advertisements; the depiction of the temple is faithful to the original, though the underground facilities are the result of the filmmakers' imagination.

From journal Godless Angkor

Editor Pick

Ta Prohm - Dripping with trees

  • March 7, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by alan_nesbit from Singapore, Singapore
Ta Prohm - Dripping with trees

This is well known for the way in which it has been left relatively unrestored. I know the trees grow upwards, but they appear to drip over the walls like treacle, with branches filling cracks and forcing the stones apart. It’s easy to imagine the temple being by the overgrown, submerged, and slowly town apart by the luxuriant growth of the jungle.

Just because there are no tourists in the photos, don’t make the mistake of thinking that we had the place to ourselves. This is a popular temple, and rightly so.

From journal The Temples at Angkor

Editor Pick

Ta Prohm aka Tomb Raider Temple

  • February 26, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Kez from Broadbeach Waters, Australia
Ta Prohm aka Tomb Raider Temple

Lara Croft step aside! If you have time, do not miss this temple that is featured in the Tomb Raider movie. Although it has not been carved with the same attention to detail as some of the other temples, it is one of the most atmospheric temples as it has been left in its natural state so that the giant fig roots are just slowly taking over and crushing it. It is nearly totally in shadow from the trees so it gives the feeling of being an intrepid explorer, wandering along the dark passageways and inner courtyards.

Surprisingly, it was not in the least crowded and offered some fantastic photographic opportunities within it's shadowy passages and amongst the giant strangler fig's gnarled and twisted roots. If it is left as it is, eventually I guess it will be swallowed by the jungle. Make sure you watch the movie before you leave home, as you will be able to pick out the exact location where they break the (foam) wall in the movie, and I know it sounds a little corny but it does make it much more exciting by just being there.

From journal Amazing Temples of Angkor

Editor Pick

Ta Phrom

  • February 20, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Composthp from Singapore, Singapore
Ta Phrom

We began our tour for the day early to avoid the hordes of tourists. Our first stop was the much anticipated Ta Phrom. This temple was built in honour of the Queen Mother, and is one of the most beautiful temples in Angkor Wat. It had retained much of its original charm as authorities deliberately left the ancient strangling fig and sponge trees growing in the temple.

This was also the location of the movie, "Lara Croft: Tomb raider." Our guide pointed to us the various locations in the movie, as well as briefed us on the history and inscriptions in the complex. We were awed by the juxtaposition between survival of nature and man, how the roots of the fig and sponge trees were both supporting and destroying the temple. Of particular interests, look out for the smiling apsara hidden among the roots of the ancient fig tree, the dinosaur-like imprint on one of the walls, the chamber where the thump of your heart beat is echoed within the walls, and the serpentine roots that resembled a man’s buttock and legs attempting to climb over the wall. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves here, at least, until the arrival of the tourists. Before we leave for the royal city of Angkor Thom, our guide also amusingly pointed out the various spots where tourists from different countries like to pose, either for good luck or for fun.

Even if you are not a fan of Lara Croft, this temple is a must see.

From journal In the Footsteps of Lara Croft

Ta Prohm

  • August 13, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Miss Bels from Mokpo, United Kingdom
Ta Prohm

We were amazed and smitten with every temple that we saw that day, but one that was unique (hang on, they were all unique, is it possible to say that it was ‘more unique’? My grasp of English lets me down here!) and really stood out was Ta Prohm. This temple was built around 1186 and sometime between then and now the jungle has reclaimed it. Massive trees sprout from the walls and towers of the temple, their roots dripping down the walls like wax from a candle. The power of nature was very much evident here; huge chunks of masonry have been shifted and sometimes knocked to the ground by these gigantic trees. Hollywood could not have made anything better than this. I can’t say enough times how awesome it was and how no photo will every truly do it justice, believe me, my camera and I tried very hard to capture something of the spirit of the place.

From journal Temples and crocodiles

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