This ancient city's wonders were rediscovered in 1860 by the French explorer Henri Mahout after it had been concealed deep within the Cambodian jungle for centuries. Today it is now possible to experience this city's mystical wonders. At one time this amazing place was the Khmer civilisations capital. The city's high of power came in the 12th century when the magnificent Angkor Thom was built which is a royal city within a city.
During this time King Suryavarman the second, erected the temple which is said to be a symbol of Mount Meru - the sacred core of the Hindu faith. This temple is truly a spectacular building in itself. It is encircled within a sizeable moat and bridged via a stone causeway. The three story stone built structure faces west with the top floor capped by four corner towers and a main level 65 metres high. When it was first built the temple was bestowed to Shiva - one of the Hindu gods, later this temple was used as a Buddhist monastery. Nowadays carvings relics of the Buddha are present within its hallowed spaces. Today it is acknowledged as a spiritual monument by Cambodia's mainly Buddhist population. Eight centuries of plundering and weathering have done little to diminish the quality of the majestic detail of the carvings of Angkor Wat. The carvings depict scenes from the Mahabharata - a great Hindu story and shows scenes of great Khmer battles and warnings of the sufferings of Hell.
The best time to view this unforgettable place is in the morning, where you the carvings and reliefs really stand out in the morning light. The rising sun highlights the aspsaras (celestial nymphs) carved into the walls ad pillars. The detail of these sculptures is truly amazing given how old they are. Bullet markings remind us of recent history of when the temple was used as a safe haven for the infamous Khmer Rouge communist movement. Indeed the entire top level of the city would seem to have been designed specifically with daybreak in mind. The sun slowly creeps through the stone pillared windows of the temple casting the beautiful morning light upon the apsaras in the sanctified Buddhist sanctuary fading into the shadows again less than 20 minutes later.
The Bayon and Ta Prohm are also two locations that are a must for any aspiring visitors to this great city. The Bayon is a small temple which was built later than Angkor Wat. This temple is easily distinguishable with its massive, expressionless stone faces resembling the Lord Buddha. Historians think these were built at a time when the ancient Khmer civilization was making a transition from Hinduism to Buddhism. Ta Prohm on the other hand was a once beautiful temple which has been ravaged by time. You may know this temple by the huge roots that push their way through the stone. This part of the temple is well known through photos around the world.
The temples of Angkor are now more accessible than ever with Cheap flights to Thailand and onto Cambodia. If its peace, tranquillity and jaw dropping history and architecture you are after head to the main Buddha sanctuary on the top level of the temple. You can only reach this temple by climbing one of four flights of steep and dilapidated stairs which the Khmers who built it equated to the demanding and tricky path to heaven. This is perhaps the most spiritual place you could ever visit and uniquely offers tourists the chance to feel inner peace.
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