Angkor Wat Sightseeing Guide

The Hindu rulers of the Khmer dynasty built the monuments of the Angkor Wat complex between the 9th and the 13th centuries.  

The monuments reflect the political and religious philosophy and the temple- architectural styles of Hinduism, particularly the ethos of the worshippers of the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Successive kings added their own cities but all centred around the mythical centre of the Hindu cosmos, Mount Meru at Baphuon. Later constructions also reflect the advent of Buddhism in the region and the growing influence of Mahayana Buddhism centred on the incarnation of Avlokiteswara whose 172 images look down upon visitors to the Bayon.

The temples symbolised the microcosmic reflection of the cosmos over which this dynasty of god-kings ruled. The entire Angkor complex is made of stone quarried in (possibly) the region of Phnom Kulen and brought down the Seam Reap River on rafts. These structures were, in fact, the only stone buildings in the city of Angkor- all the other buildings, including the living quarters- were of wood and have since perished.

The two ways to derive the maximum mileage from the Angkor complex is to take in all the sites spread over a 26km circuit - a mind-boggling task, or to pick and choose the ones that are the best both in terms of most architectural superiority and preservation. Visitors need to spend at the very least, three to four days to sightsee and absorb the magnificence of the entire complex. Most visitors find themselves heading back again and again to catch up on details they missed out the first time, as there is a virtual plethora of monuments to see. There is an entry fee to visit the complex; the amount ranges from around US$ 20 (for a day’s pass) to about US$ 60 (for a five-day pass). Passes can be obtained at the entrance to the temples complex itself.

The main temple of Angkor Wat, with its five soaring sandstone spires, its intricately carved, detailed bas reliefs and its grandiose scale presents quite a spectacular sight. Built by King Suryavarman II (1112 –1152) as a temple to the Hindu god Vishnu, it was to later serve as a funerary temple to house the king's own mortal remains. It was common belief that the kings of the Khmer dynasty were living incarnations of Vishnu, and most statues of Suryavarman portray him as the god-king. Visitors approach the temples from a causeway across a huge moat that surrounds Angkor, onto a 500 m long avenue that is lined with stone balustrades representing giant serpents that protect the temple. Walking past two stone pavilions that functioned as libraries, they then enter the main temple through a gateway that is richly decorated with carvings and sculptures.

The central complex consists of three tiers that surround the central square, an awesome sight of slender spires and stone cupolas soaring towards the skies. At one time this inner sanctum held a gold covered statue of Vishnu mounted on a winged mythological bird called Garuda. In the galleries that girdle the inner square, are 800m of the most detailed wall murals and bas-reliefs depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. The Cambodian authorities are undertaking some restoration work with French and Indian experts, but by and large the Angkor Wat is well preserved despite the years of civil war and strife.

Angkor Thom comes replete with walls and gates that reflect its raison d' être as a fortified city built in the aftermath of a major war. Angkor Thom was built by King Jayavarman VII (1181 –1201) and is believed to have housed over a million inhabitants in its heyday. 8 metres high walls stretching over 12 km encircle the 10 sq km city complex. Additional protection was provided by a moat that legend has it, was populated with fierce crocodiles.

The city has five huge gates decorated on either side with carved stone balustrades; giant elephants and four-faced Avlokitesvara were part of the welcoming committee as were giant statues of 54 gods and 54 demons busy churning giant stone serpents in a frieze depicting the Hindu mythological event of the churning of the oceans to get the nectar of immortality. Inside the walled city lie the most important monuments of Angkor Thom – the Bayon, the Baphuon, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas and the Terrace of Elephants.

 King Jayavarman VII (1181 –1201) built the Bayon right in the middle of the fortified city of Angkor Thom. The Bayon consists of 49 sandstone towers, each topped by four gargantuan faces of the Avlokiteswara.

Initially built as a two-tiered structure in honour of the Hindu god Shiva, it transmogrified into a Mahayana Buddhist temple with the four-faced third tier super-imposed upon it later. It’s a spine chilling experience as the faces seem to surround you and the ever watchful eyes never leave you alone. The entire complex is decorated with bas-reliefs that stretch for more than one kilometre and portray scenes of everyday life in 12th century Cambodia as well as depict some of the major events from Hindu mythology. It is believed that you can count over 11,000 different figures in the reliefs. The Bayon looks its best in the early mornings with the sun just breaking through the all-encompassing shroud of mist; as the sun’s warmth seeps in, the steamy atmosphere adds its own aura to the temples standing in the midst of the dank, dense vegetation.

The Baphoun is a 43 m high pyramid shaped stepped structure representing the Mount Meru, home to the pantheon of gods of Hindu cosmology. It was built in the reign of Udityavarman II (1050-1066) and symbolised the centre of the universe over which the king ruled supreme in his carnation as the god-king.

The Terrace of Elephants is 350 km long and was the huge viewing stand from which the king and his entourage reviewed the  victory parades of the powerful Khmer army with its elephant cavalry, horse drawn chariots and infantry. It also served as a royal audience hall for the general public on ceremonious occasions. Ornately decorated with winged garudas, lions and elephants, the Terrace of Elephants even in its relatively dilapidated state provides an insight into the awesome power of the mighty Khmer empire.

Some distance away from the main complex of Angkor Wat, lies the Buddhist temple and monastery of Ta Prohm, built in the 12th century. 

It is preserved in the same state as when first discovered a hundred years ago, all overgrown and enmeshed in a tangle of vines, creepers and roots as the dense tropical jungle relentlessly asserts its supremacy. It must be visited, if only to experience the might of nature and to experience the awesome silence that imposes itself on all who visit it.