The whole Angkor period spans for more than VI centuries, and more precisely from IX till XV century. During this period the Khmer empire reached its maximum splendor as one of the most powerful southeast asian kingdoms. In this period the whole area of Angkor was buit. We can consider Jayavarman II as the man that started everything. He define himself Devaraja (good king) and he established the Khmer empire in 802.
Angkor Wat temples After him, Indravarman, a king considered by many of its time an usurper: we prefer to remember him for starting building the Baray, a complex irrigation system to bring waters in the area of Angkor. He also started to build the Bakong and the Preah Ko temples. His son Yasovarman went further in his father's project: he built the Phnom Bakheng and the Lolei temples, and with him, Angkor become the new capital of the kingdom. These two king further extent the Baray's system too.
Then the capital was moved to Koh Ker for a short period, under the kingdom of Jayavarman IV, an usurper, but after only 14 years Angkor become again the capital under Rajendravarman II. His son, Jayavarman V, was instead a great king, and with him the empire expanded to its maximum extent. Two wonderful temples, as Banteay Srei and Ta Keo were built.
After him, Udayaditavarman II built the pyramid of Baphuon and the western Mebon (we are now at the half of XI century), and here we are really close to the very peak of the Khmer civilization, two great king the left once forever their footstep in the history of this planet and they are Suryavarman II and Jayavarman II. The first king built Bang Melea but it also the one that built Angkor Wat. The second king has built Preach Khan, Ta Phrom and Angkor Thom.
As you will see with your eyes these last temple are traces of a high level civilization, with an exquisite taste for art. An enormous job that involved not only an army of thousands workers doing the hard job, building, moving rock and materials and so on. There was another parallel army of thousands of artists and artisans. Angkor Wat is also them. We will never know their names, or their faces, but what they left us fulfill our hearts with something magic. The walls of Angkor, they also speak about their lives, their customs, their salaries: Angkor was not only a religious place, but a capital crowded with a million people.
There are two great complexes of ancient temples in Southeast Asia, one at Bagan in Burma, the other at Angkor in Cambodia. The temples of Angkor, built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, represent one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. 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 are long since decayed and gone.
Conventional theories presume the lands where Angkor stands were chosen as a settlement site because of their strategic military position and agricultural potential. Alternative scholars, however, believe the geographical location of the Angkor complex and the arrangement of its temples was based on a planet-spanning sacred geography from archaic times. Using computer simulations it has been shown that the ground plan of the Angkor complex – the terrestrial placement of its principal temples - mirrors the stars in the constellation of Draco at the time of spring equinox in 10,500 BC. While the date of this astronomical alignment is far earlier than any known construction at Angkor, it appears that its purpose was to architecturally mirror the heavens in order to assist in the harmonization of the earth and the stars. Both the layout of the Angkor temples and iconographic nature of much its sculpture, particularly the asuras (‘demons’) and devas (‘deities’) are also intended to indicate the celestial phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes and the slow transition from one astrological age to another.
At the temple of Phnom Bakheng there are 108 surrounding towers. The number 108, considered sacred in both Hindu and Buddhist cosmologies, is the sum of 72 plus 36 (36 being ½ of 72). The number 72 is a primary number in the sequence of numbers linked to the earth’s axial precession, which causes the apparent alteration in the position of the constellations over the period of 25,920 years, or one degree every 72 years. Another mysterious fact about the Angkor complex is its location 72 degrees of longitude east of the Pyramids of Giza. The temples of Bakong, Prah Ko and Prei Monli at Roluos, south of the main Angkor complex, are situated in relation to each other in such a way that they mirror the three stars in the Corona Borealis as they appeared at dawn on the spring equinox in 10,500 BC. It is interesting to note that the Corona Borealis would not have been visible from these temples during the 10th and 11th centuries when they were constructed.
Angkor Wat, built during the early years of the 12th century by Suryavaram II, honors the Hindu god Vishnu and is a symbolic representation of Hindu cosmology. Consisting of an enormous temple symbolizing the mythic Mt. Meru, its five inter-nested rectangular walls and moats represent chains of mountains and the cosmic ocean. The short dimensions of the vast compound are precisely aligned along a north-south axis, while the east-west axis has been deliberately diverted 0.75 degrees south of east and north of west, seemingly in order to give observers a three day anticipation of the spring equinox.
Unlike other temples at Angkor, Ta Prohm has been left as it was found, preserved as an example of what a tropical forest will do to an architectural monument when the protective hands of humans are withdrawn. Ta Prohm's walls, roofs, chambers and courtyards have been sufficiently repaired to stop further deterioration, and the inner sanctuary has been cleared of bushes and thick undergrowth, but the temple has been left in the stranglehold of trees. Having planted themselves centuries ago, the tree's serpentine roots pry apart the ancient stones and their immense trunks straddle the once bustling Buddhist temple. Built in the later part of the 12th century by Jayavarman VII, Ta Prohm is the terrestrial counterpart of the star Eta Draconis the Draco constellation.
During half-millennia of Khmer occupation, the city of Angkor became a pilgrimage destination of importance throughout Southeastern Asia. Sacked by the Thais in 1431 and abandoned in 1432, Angkor was forgotten for a few centuries. Wandering Buddhist monks, passing through the dense jungles, occasionally came upon the awesome ruins. Recognizing the sacred nature of the temples but ignorant of their origins, they invented fables about the mysterious sanctuaries, saying they had been built by the gods in a far ancient time. Centuries passed, these fables became legends, and pilgrims from the distant reaches of Asia sought out the mystic city of the gods. A few adventurous European travelers knew of the ruins and stories circulated in antiquarian circles of a strange city lost in the jungles. Most people believed the stories to be nothing more than legend however, until the French explorer Henri Mouhot brought Angkor to the world's attention in 1860. The French people were enchanted with the ancient city and beginning in 1908 funded and superbly managed an extensive restoration project. The restoration has continued to the present day, excepting periods in the 70's and 80's when military fighting prevented archaeologists from living near the ruins.
Orthodox archaeologists sometimes interpret the temples of the Angkor complex as tombs of megalomaniacal kings yet in reality those kings designed and constructed the temples as a form of service to both god and their own subjects. The temples were places not for the worship of the kings but rather for the worship of god. Precisely aligned with the stars, constructed as vast three dimensional yantras and adorned with stunningly beautiful religious art, the Angkor temples were instruments for assisting humans in their realization of the divine.
Jayavaram VII, spoke of his intentions in erecting temples as being:
“full of deep sympathy for the good of the world, so as to bestow on men the ambrosia of remedies to win them immortality….By virtue of these good works would that I might rescue all those who are struggling in the ocean of existence.”
The Angkor Wat temple is a collection of more than 100 temples at Angkor, Cambodia. It is the one of the most religious and spiritual places in the world with stunning and gorgeous architecture.
This ancient temple belongs to the age of Khmer Empire, built for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. It is the largest and best preserved significant temple of Hindus dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
The Angkor Wat Temple has two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture. They are the temple mountain and the galleried temples. This temple is designed to represent Mount Meru which is the home of the gods in Hindu mythology. There are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. A quincunx of towers stands at the centre of the temple. The designs are made from sandstone with bricks to create extraordinary art work. Being oriented to the west, the temple is admired for its grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and numerous devatas adorning its walls. The whole city of Angkor has declared as the UNESCO world Heritage site in 1992.
Location
The Angkor Wat Temple is situated at 6 km from the north of the Siemreab town, in the northwestern Cambodia, Southeast Asia.
Historical Importance
Angkor Wat temple was built in 12th century between 802 and 1220 AD by Khmer civilization for Suryavarman II King. The temple was earlier known as the Vrah, Vishnulok after the presiding deity. The place of Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer in 1177. Later, the empire was restored by a new king, Jayavarman VII, who established a new capital and state temple called the Angkor Thom and the Bayon respectively a few kilometres to the north.
Between 14th and 15th century, the temple was converted to Theravada Buddhist use which remains the same till today. In 16th century the Angkor Wat temple was neglected and its moat also provided some protection from encroachment by the jungle. By this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok. The modern name, Angkor means "City Temple". One of the first Western visitors to the temple was Antonio da Magdalena, a Portuguese monk who visited the temple in 1586. The Angkor temple was brought to the world’s attention by the French explorer Henri Mouhot in 1860.
Nearby Attractions
Bakeng Hill
Close to Angkor Wat lies the Bakeng Hill which is meant to resemble Mount Meru, the center of the earth in the Hindu cosmology. It is a great spot for sunrise or sunset viewing and becomes heavily crowded in high season.
Bayon
The Bayon is the centerpiece of the larger Angkor Thom city, and it has classic carved faces. It is a Buddhist temple built under the reign of prolific Jayavarman VII. As the temple was built atop a previous Hindu site, it adheres to Hindu cosmology.
Vimean Akhar
The "Palace of Air" or Vimean Akhar is a royal place built by three successive kings, Jayavarman II and V as well as Suryavarman I, over a period of time from 944 to 1045. This Hindu temple is dedicated to Shiva and is some 12m (40 feet) high with three levels. Each of the three levels represents one of the kings who helped build it.
Terrace of the Leper King
Built by Jayavarman, the terrace of the Leper King is the northern half of a long north-south shelf which was used as a main viewing stage for the king and his entourage to watch elaborate shows in the open area out front.
Elephant Terrace
This terrace is situated to the south end Leper King Terrace and has elaborate designs of elephants, whose trunks make decorative columns.
Preah Khan
Built by Jayavarman VII in 1191, it is referred as the Sacred Sword. It is believed that this was where Jayavarman called home during the building of the Bayon.
Ta Prohm
This temple is located in the jungle foliage. Ta Prohm is a favorite place covered with the Khmer Spoong tree which is something like a banyan tree.
Ta Kaeo
Ta Kaeo temple was never completed and according to the legend, the temple was struck by lightning during its construction, and all work was abandoned at a stage where the main structure was complete, but no adornment had been added.
Banteay Kdei
It is the first temple built by Jayavarman VII in 1181, just opposite the large Sra Serang Reservoir, a lovely lily pond that is 300 by 700m and surrounded by sandstone steps of Khmer Vintage.
How to reach
By Air: Nearest Airport is Phnom Penh’s Pochentong
By Road: There are number of buses and cars available apart from buses to Phonom Penh from Saigon via Moc Bai.
A French naturalist named Henri Mouhot in 1860 stumbled across a city of stone hidden in the tangled forest of Cambodia. It had been built long ago, the locals told him, by a vanished race of giant gods. "Grander than anything left by Greece or Rome," Mouhot said about the lost city of Angkor, with its more than 100 temples and remarkable carvings.
Amgkor Wat was erected around the same time as the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
©Photodisc
The 12th-century temple was erected around the same time as the Cathedral
of Notre Dame in Paris and it occupies the same acreage as the Forbidden
City in Beijing.
This work was begun in 802 not by giant gods but by Jayavarman II, a Khmer king who chose to build his capital here. (Angkor means "city" in the Khmer language.) Within two centuries perhaps a million people lived here. The city stretched across the plain for 100 square miles.
The finest temple here, and probably the largest religious monument ever built, is the 500-acre Angkor Wat. Built in the early 12th century by Suryavarman II, it is considered the peak of classical Khmer architecture and art. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, the preserver -- as well as to his human embodiment in Suryavarman II, who was considered a god-king.
Angkor Wat consists of rectangular enclosures that frame a "temple mountain" designed with an allegorical meaning. The high central sanctuary symbolically corresponds to Mount Meru, the sacred mountain where Hindu gods dwell at the center of the universe. Meru's five peaks are represented by the temple's five towers. The surrounding walls stand for mountains at the fringe of the world, and the moat is the ocean farther out. The central towers are reachable by 12 stairways that suggest the steep slopes of Mount Meru.
The towers are designed to look like sprouting lotus buds, and at one time they may have been covered in gold. Throughout the temple complex, carvings and sculptures depict gods, battle scenes, dancers, events in Hindu mythology, and other images. Working in sandstone, a fairly soft material, made the construction project easier for the 5,000 artisans and 50,000 laborers who built the temple over a period of some three decades.
Creating a mystic link with the eternal movement of the heavens that revolve around the temple, the buildings and statues of Angkor Wat line up with the solar equinoxes and solstices.
The walls of the outer gallery are covered in bas-relief carvings that reach more than six feet high and are said to be the longest continuous bas-reliefs in the world. The carved scenes tell stories from Hindu religious epics -- the Ramayana and the Mahabharata -- and narrate Vishnu's adventures. Supposedly, the bevies of apsaras, or heavenly dancers, who adorn the temple were carved using the king's own bare-breasted harem as models. The women's exotic hairstyles and jeweled collars illustrate high fashion as it was practiced in the area nine centuries ago.
Angkor Wat and the surrounding city thrived until 1431, when invaders from Siam (present-day Thailand) arrived. Badly damaged, Angkor was soon abandoned. But the forest itself proved an even more destructive invader. Vines, creepers, and rampant fig trees strangled the buildings and pushed masonry walls asunder, swallowing up the forgotten city.
Fortunately, Angkor Wat fared better than many other structures, because Buddhist monks arrived with the Siamese invaders and occupied the temple. In the high central tower, once the sacred precincts of the Hindu god Siva, the monks placed a huge figure of Buddha.
After Angkor's rediscovery in the mid-1800s, French and Cambodian archaeologists restored many ruins. But their work was undone in the 1970s, when Angkor was infiltrated by Khmer Rouge guerrillas who looted temples, decapitated sculptures, and sold the spoils on the black market to raise cash for war. In the early 1990s, thieves ran wild through the temples, cutting the heads off the famous apsaras and causing extensive damage. Illicit art dealers acquired many of the treasures from Angkor, and quite a few sculptures later reemerged in western auction houses and private collections....from....., http://www.google.co.th/search?hl=th&q=who+built+angkor+wat&btnG=%E0%B8%84%E0%B9%
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