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In Angkor there are more than one hundred temples and ruins, the biggest agglomeration of temples in the world.
An ancient metropolis
These are the remains of a low density city of more than 1,000 square kilometres, or of more than 30 kilometres diameter, by far the biggest pre-industrial metropolis on our planet. Of this ‘metropolis of rice fields’ only the temples have remained as they were constructed with brick or stones.
Angkor was the capital of the Cambodian empire which dominated mainland South-East-Asia from the 9th to the 14th century.
Rulers of the world
The powerful kings of Angkor saw themselves as ‘Rulers of the World' (chakravartin). Angkor was to be the cen-tre of that world. The Hindu god Shiva was the national god. He was called ‘Lord of the World' (lokeshvara). The kings ruled the world on behalf of Shiva.
Temples
Every new king stressed himself and his kingdom to build a new temple for Shiva and to worship him. This changed after 1100: Angkor Wat (first half of the 12th century) was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Buddhist temples were built from the late 12th century.
Meet the temples!
The best way of getting to know Angkor is to follow its development and to visit the monuments in a chronological order.
 
Bakong (consecrated in 881), in the Southeast of the Angkor region, was the first big state temple. The temple complex, centred by a pyramid, geometrical and adjusted to the cardinal directions, was a micro¬cosm. The king created a new world in order and harmony. Shiva should be enticed to take his abode in the cen-tral tower of the new state temple and make Angkor the centre of the world.
The Bakong defines the pattern of the Khmer pyramid temple. Later temples will maintain these principles.
 
Preah Ko (879), and Lolei (893, below) are ancestor temples, dedicated to the memory of the kings' parents and grandparents. Both temples are famous for their outstanding reliefs in stucco and sandstone.
At the end of the 9th century, King Yasovarman I moved the capital to central Angkor and built a pyra-mid temple on top of the Phnom Bakheng, incorporat-ing the whole phnom into the temple complex. (Phnom means hill or mountain.) Marking the centre of the new capital Yasodharapura (now: Angkor) for four centuries, this temple is now mostly visited at sundown.
Other monuments of the Bakheng era: Eastern Baray, Phnom Bok, and Phnom Krom.
Baksei Chamkrong (947), located near Phnom Bakheng, is a small and elegant pyramid, built of laterite. Baksei Chamkrong has become a model of the steep pyramid as it is built in Angkor from then on.
 
East Mebon (952), and Pre Rup (961, above right) are pyramid temples made of laterite and brick. For the first time we can see five towers arranged in a quincunx (like the five points on a dice).
Leak Neang is a small contemporary temple close to Pre Rup.
 
Prasat Kravan (921) and Banteay Srei (967) are private temples, built by high ranking dignitaries. Both temples show remarkable reliefs.
Other temples of the 10th century: Bat Chum (950, Bud-dhist) and Prasat Enkosei (in northern Siem Reap).
 
Ta Keo (1007) is a precursor of Angkor Wat: a steep sandstone pyramid, topped by five sandstone towers. Each tower opens to the four directions. Doors are pre-ceded by porches: That makes the ground plan of the tower cruciform. For the first time there is a gallery. The construction of Ta Keo seems to have been stopped. There are almost no reliefs. The overall picture is that of a cubist sculpture.
Phimeanakas is a small pyramid in the compound of the Royal Palace.
Baphuon (1060), just south of the Royal Palace, is a huge pyramid, topped by “the tower of bronze, even higher than the golden tower (of the Bayon)”, as a Chi-nese chronicler remarked. Perfect galleries frame the tiers of the pyramid. Reliefs tell myths in consecutive scenes. The pyramid has collapsed and is now recon-structed.
Other monuments of the Baphuon era: West Baray, West Mebon, Kbal Spean, Chau Srei Vibol, Preah Vi-hear.
 
Devata (goddesses) at Angkor Wat
In the beauty of eternal youth and in stunning outfit, more than two thousand goddesses are guarding the temple. Their charm is an obvious representation of the divine. According to the customs of the period they are bare breasted. By a common mistake they are called apsara (nymphs) that’s what they are not!
Constructed in the first half of the 12th century, Angkor Wat is the climax of Khmer architecture: a gigantic three step pyramid, adorned by nine slender towers, three enclosing galleries and two cruciform galleries. Angkor Wat has an enormous area of beautifully elabo-rated reliefs. Framed by an enclosure wall and a majes-tic moat, the temple covers 2.5 square kilometres.
Angkor Wat was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, the preserver of the world.
During the 12th century temple a series of Buddhist temples were constructed. Buddhist temples are flat, there is no pyramid; the Buddha is on the same level as the community of his followers.
In Angkor were built Thommanon (consecrated 1150), Chau Say Tevoda, and Banteay Samré (photo). East of Angkor is Beng Mealea.
Towards 1200 AD, King Jayavarman VII made Mahayana Buddhism the state religion.
 
He built two ancestor temples, Ta Prohm (1186), famous for the roots, and Preah Khan (1191, below). The two of them were monastic cities, framed by outer walls.
The central tower is framed by a double gallery. To the East is the Hall of Dancers, a cruciform gallery. At the axes to the North, West, and South are secondary tem-ples. Later on more shrines were asymmetrically perched into the courtyards. North of the Hall of Danc-ers is a two-storey building, it is the stone copy of a rice granary.
Neak Pean is a contemporary water sanctuary.
Other temples in Bayon style: Neak Banteay Kdei, Ta Som, and Ta Nei. Prasat Prei and Banteay Thom are lo-cated north of Angkor Thom.
South Gate of Angkor Thom
King Jayavarman VII (1181-1218) built Angkor Thom. The royal city inside of the extensive metropolis is framed by a wall and moat with five gates.
In the centre of the city he built the Bayon as his state temple.
By a confused construction numerous face towers grow up like trees in a natural forest.
The Terrace of the Elephants hides the east face of the Royal Palace.
The Terrace of the Leper King is located north of the Royal Palace.
The Bayon is framed by two galleries. The outer gal-lery depicts daily life and war. Photo at the left: a boat scene.
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Three days
A three-day visit covers the essential sights of Angkor; it provides an introduction to enable better understand-ing of the temples. The key monuments and additional highlights are represented in a chronological order.
First day
In the morning: Bakong – Preah Ko –Lolei (Roluos).
In the afternoon: Prasat Kravan, Banteay Srei, East Me-bon. (90 km)
Second day
Sunrise at Angkor Wat.
Phnom Bak¬heng, Baksei Chamkrong, Ta Keo.
In the afternoon Angkor Wat. (28 km)
Third day
Neak Pean and Preah Khan. North Gate of Angkor Thom, Terrace of the Leper King, Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Elephants, Baphuon, Bayon, and Ta Prohm. (33 km)
Two days
1. Banteay Srei – East Mebon – Baksei Chamkrong – Angkor Wat.
2. Sunrise at Angkor Wat – South Gate of Angkor Thom – Bayon –
Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King – Ta Prohm.Salla Allemong Angkor photographs
www.angkorguide.de/english
Short time visits
One morning
Angkor Wat (from the East) – Baksei Chamkrong – South Gate of Angkor Thom – Bayon – Terrace of the Ele-phants, Terrace of the Leper King.
One afternoon
South Gate of Angkor Thom – Bayon – Angkor Wat (from the West)
One day
Sunrise at Angkor Wat – Ta Prohm – Ta Keo – Bayon – Angkor Wat.
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