|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Angkor,
the
former
capital
of
the
ancient
Khmer
Empire,
is
one
of
the
greatest
and
most
spectacular
Hindu
religious
sites
in
the
world.
Construction
of
this
elaborate
temple
complex
–
built
in
honour
of
the
god
Vishnu
–
began
in
AD
879
during
the
reign
of
King
Suryavarman
II
and
was
completed
in
1191.
It
lay
concealed
for
many
years,
however,
until
the
site
was
discovered
by
Frenchman
Henri
Mahout
in
1860.
The
central
complex,
Angkor
Wat
(Angkor
Temple),
features
an
elaborate,
unmortared
66-metre
(215-foot)
central
tower
surrounded
by
four
smaller
towers.
Stretching
around
the
outside
of
the
temple
complex
is
an
800m-long
(2625ft)
bas-relief,
the
longest
in
the
world. |
|
|
|
The
city
of
Angkor,
in
northwestern
Cambodia,
was
the
capital
of a
kingdom
known
as
the
Khmer
Empire,
for
over
five-
hundred
years.
In
fact,
the
word
"angkor"
means
capital.
It
became
one
of
the
most
architecturally
complex
places
in
the
world
between
the
9th
and
the
13th
centuries,
but
when
armies
from
Thailand
captured
the
city
1431,
it
was
abandoned
by
most
of
its
citizens. |
|
|
|
The
largest
component
of
this
complex
is
known
as
Angkor
Wat.
The
word
"Wat"
means
monastery,
and
it
was
used
as
just
that.
This
huge
temple
was
built
by
King
Suryavarman
II,
who
decorated
and
built
it
in
his
Hindu
beliefs.
Dedicated
to
the
Hindu
Gods
Shiva,
Brahma,
and
Vishnu.
It
was
a
holy
place
for
many.
But
soon
in
the
ruling
of
King
Jayavaraman
VII
decided
that
the
Gods
of
Hinduism
had
failed
him.
Buddhism
was
prevalent
in
the
construction
of
Angkor
Thom,
a
new
nearby
capital.
The
Hindu
decorations
and
deities
were
replaced
by
Buddhist
carvings,
statues,
and
other
art,
when
it
became
a
Buddhist
shrine. |
|
|
|
The
entire
city
where
Angkor
Wat
is
located
extends
fifteen
miles
(24
kilometers)
from
east
to
west
and
eight
miles
(13
kilometers)
north
to
south.
Around
the
temples
the
terrain
is
landscaped
by
and
intricate
system
of
reservoirs,
canals,
and
moats
that
were
used
for
water
control
and
irrigation.
The
whole
system
symbolized
the
Hindu
thought
of a
central
mountain,
Mt.
Meru,
a
dwelling
place
for
the
Gods.
Angkor
Wat's
five
central
towers
represent
the
peaks
of
the
holy
mountain.
The
enormous
moat
surrounding
the
shrine
suggests
the
oceans
at
the
edge
of
the
world.
Crossing
this
moat
includes
crossing
a
617-foot
(188-meter)
bridge.
From
the
early
fifteenth
century,
when
Angkor
was
completely
abandoned,
until
the
late
nineteenth
century,
Angkor
was
kept
intact
by
the
Theravada
Buddhist
monks.
It
became
one
of
the
most
important
pilgrimage
sites
in
Southeast
Asia. |
|
|
|
Angkor:
City
of
Temples
Angkor,
in
northwestern
Cambodia,
is
the
site
where
Khmer
kings
established
their
capitals
from
the
ninth
to
the
twelfth
century.
Angkor
was
a
highly
developed
civilization,
as
demonstrated
by
its
temples,
sculpture
and
bas-reliefs,
as
well
as
its
elaborate
irrigation
system.
Today,
Angkor
is
an
extensive
archaeological
site
covering
more
than
400-square
kilometers.
More
than
100
temples
can
be
seen
there.
However,
civil
houses,
including
palaces,
which
were
built
with
wood,
no
longer
exist.
Up
to
the
twelfth
century,
kings
were
Hindu.
At
the
end
of
this
century,
a
Buddhist
king
built
a
number
of
temple
complexes.
|
|
|
|
The
archaeological
site
includes
many
treasures,
the
most
beautiful
of
which
is
the
Hindu
temple
of
Angkor
Wat,
constructed
during
the
first
half
of
twelfth
century.
The
last
capital
was
Angkor
Thom,
a
city
of
nine-square
kilometers,
in
the
middle
of
which
was
built
the
Bayon,
around
1200.
It
underwent
important
changes
until
the
end
of
the
century.
At
this
time,
Angkor
kings
were
the
masters
of
the
most
important
empire
in
Southeast
Asia. |
|
|
|
The
power
of
the
Khmer
kings
gradually
decreased,
and
after
the
middle
of
fifteenth
century,
Angkor
was
just
the
center
of a
small
kingdom
until
the
end
of
sixteenth
century.
|
|
|
|
Threats
to
the
archaeological
site
of
Angkor
include
looting,
vandalism
and
natural
forces.
In
1860,
French
explorer
Henri
Mouhot
encountered
Angkor
and
drew
the
attention
of
the
western
world
to
the
site.
Soon
after,
there
were
several
expeditions
which
occasionally
removed
sculptures
from
Angkor
and
other
sites
in
Cambodia,
and
brought
them
back
to
Paris,
along
with
many
mouldings
shown
presently
in
Musée
Guimet.
From
1908
to
1970,
the
Conservation
d'Angkor
protected
Angkor.
During
the
genocide
and
years
after,
Angkor
was
inaccessible
and
the
site
suffered
from
neglect.
|
|
|
|
Threats
to
the
Survival
of
Angkor
In
1989,
UNESCO
sent
the
first
mission
there
to
assess
the
state
of
conservation
of
the
site,
which
was
inscribed
on
the
World
Heritage
List
in
December
1992.
Since
that
time,
the
assistance
provided
by
the
international
community
has
increased
very
quickly.
Angkor
is
now
facing
new
problems
including,
growing
vegetation,
weathering
stone,
looting
of
the
temples,
as
well
as a
new
and
difficult
challenge:
the
amazing
development
of
tourism.
Site
development
programs
are
being
defined
to
ensure
the
best
level
of
protection
to
Angkor. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
