The Beautiful + Haunting Ruins of Angkor Wat
When one googles the Seven Wonders of the World, a rich list pops up. There are natural and man-made wonders, from both medieval and modern times. In researching Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, it was clear that any list of man-made ancient wonders should have this remarkable temple complex included. After visiting, I couldn't agree more. The juxtaposition of long-standing history (massive and intricate temples built by hand in the 12th century and still standing after centuries of neglect) and the recent past (destruction of an entire generation of innocent people by the Khmer Rouge and the subsequent rebuilding of a nation's spirit) is truly incredible to witness.
Siem Reap is an up-and-coming charming little town located in the north of Cambodia. Before the French arrived in the early 1900s, it was nothing more than a tiny village. However, with the influence of the French, it became a cultural hub of Cambodia. However, once the Khmer Rouge regime took over Cambodia in the mid-1970s, intellectuals, artists and business leaders in Siem Reap and other cities were evacuated and forced to the countryside. (The terror of the regime is still unimaginable; if you'd like to learn more, I recommend reading First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung.) Since regaining independence, the Cambodians have been rebuilding the city's bustling vibe and cultural charm (it has a lively French Quarter) and leveraging its close proximity (a few km) to the Angkor temples to remake itself into a top Asian tourist destination.
The best guide ever!
The main draw of Siem Reap, of course, are the Angkor temples. Friends who had been recommended that we arrange a private guide for the day rather than join a large group. It was the best advice and we were lucky to be referred to a gentleman named Sokkhoeun Bout to serve as our trusty temples guide. For a mere US$30, Sokk guided my best friend Christian and me through the main temples we wanted to see and enchanted us with stories and facts about the temples' rich histories.
The most amazing part was that Sokk spoke from a very personal view, having been separated from his parents at a very young age and forced into the Khmer army. As an educated man, his father was murdered by the Khmer; Sokk didn't see his mother until a chance reuniting 12 years later. He was stationed in the Angkor temples as a child soldier and thus knows them like the back of his hand. Despite his painful personal history, Sokk could not be a kinder, more caring and joyful man. Together, we laid out our plan of attack for a full day and then set out to be awed and inspired. What follows is a bit of what we learned and experienced.
Stop 1: Angkor Wat
Built in the early part of the 12th century, it's known as the 'city temple'. Angkor Wat was commissioned by the Hindu king Suryavarman II to serve as a dedication to Vishna and ultimately as his tomb. (Interestingly, in the late 13th century, Angkor switched to Buddhist use and still is today.) According to Sokk, the 2 square km city-temple complex took 40 years to build and enlisted 385,635 people, 40,000 elephants and 24,000 boats which carried extremely large sandstones from a quarry located 50 km away. The fact that the structures and surrounding moat were built with no modern equipment is remarkable. Even more so that no bindings were used between the stones in building the actual temples.
At one time, there were 1000 temples in the complex - there are now 72. And for unknown reasons, the 65m high middle tower faces west which is unlike all other Hindu structures. Facing east is thought to signify victory and the dawning of a new day. Conversely, facing west signifies loss and death; this is why historians suspect it was intended to be the king's tomb. The steep climb to the middle tower is comprised of 37 steps, which was thought to be the ascent to the 3rd level of heaven. I was certainly breathless after climbing them! The middle tower of the main complex sits in the center of several concentric circles, each populated with rooms, hallways and courtyards.
As you can imagine, with how many people it took to build and then operate the 'city center', an ancient class system was alive and well. Three classes of people lived and worked in the complex, with only the upper-class being allowed into the center and thus close to the Terrace of the Thousand Buddhas. Along the outer ring of the middle tower are bas-relief galleries, which stretch over 1km in length. These wall carvings tell famous Hindu stories of war and how people traveled to the 37 layers of heaven or 32 levels of hell. Despite dating back to the 12th century, the intricate bas-reliefs are very well-preserved.
As we walked through the temple grounds, we encountered young monks walking the grounds in their brightly colored orange robes and small grey monkeys hoping for a nibble or snack from an unsuspecting tourist. But one of the most special parts of exploring this incredible complex was coming across a blind monk who was sitting and chanting amongst Buddhas with incense burning and sunlight streaming in around him. I gave a US$1 donation for a red prayer bracelet that the monk tied to my wrist while chanting and smiling; once tied, he blew on the inside of my wrist to bless the bracelet and me for good tidings and travels.
Stop 2: Anghor Thom
Anghor Thom translates to the "great city" in Khmer, and served as the last and one of the most enduring capitals in Cambodia. There are two main draws to Anghor Thom - the Bayon Temple and the bridge.
Bayon Temple was a state temple built between 1116-1281 from a red-colored soil called laterite that was dried and carved into large bricks. The Bayon architectural style is known for the red color and its grandness in scale. Twenty years before it was completed, it was transitioned to be the first Buddhist temple in the region and represents the intersection between heaven and earth. There were 54 towers to symbolize the 54 Khmer provinces but only 37 of the towers remain today. The temples are most famous for the (massive) 4 smiling faces carved into them which are meant to represent compassion, sympathy, charity, and equality.
After leaving the temple, we rode along a road filled with gray monkeys under massive shade trees until we reached a large gate and bridge. The gate served as the entrance to the complex, and parts of the surrounding walls remain today. The bridge was definitely a highlight -- it stretches across what was a massive moat (100 m wide!) and is lined with 54 statues of demons on one side and 54 statues of gods on the other. The bridge is a monumental representation of a famous Hindu myth called the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Needless to say, we took tons of pictures here!
Stop 3: Banteay Srei
At each stop, I had a new "favorite" as each had really interesting and unique characteristics. But I must say, Banteay Srei, which means 'citadel of the women', was a true delight. We had to pay our driver an extra US $10 to drive the extra few kilometers to it, and I am so happy we did. Banteay Srei is known for its sheer beauty, for it is constructed of a pink sandstone and has truly intricate carvings covering the surfaces. Construction began in 967 AD upon commission by a Brahman (priest) as a dedication to the Hindu god, Shiva. What was so cool was that the buildings appeared almost miniature in size compared to the large scale of the other temples we had seen thus far. The carvings were incredibly detailed and well preserved especially considering that the temple lay undiscovered without maintenance for many centuries, potentially from the 14th century until 1914. There are small sanctuaries with statues of Hindu gods throughout as well as small libraries. What a charming and beautiful spot!
Stop 4: Pre Rup (The Royal Crematorium)
On the way to our last stop of the day, we buzzed by Pre Rup long enough to take a few photos but did not go in. There are crematorium buildings throughout Cambodia, but this one (built starting in 941 AD) is thought to have been built by the king Rajendravarman II to serve as a royal crematorium. We had an interesting conversation here about whether Cambodians tend to be buried or cremated; Sokk said it's about 50/50.
Stop 5: Ta Prohm
Now, I have never seen the film "Tomb Raider" but if you have, you'd instantly recognize this temple complex. Surrounded by jungle, Ta Prohm has largely been 'preserved' (i.e., without restoration) as it was found when rediscovered in the early 1900's. There are MASSIVE trees growing in and through the main temples. Originally built in 1186, Ta Prohm was a Buddhist temple known as Rajavihara or "monastery of the king" as a dedication to the king's mother. What's fascinating are inscriptions that have been found that detail the working nature of the complex. Close to 12,500 people were required to live and worship in temple. To support and service that community, there were 3,000 villages housing 80,000 people within the temple grounds.
Beautiful ruins. The trees and roots that have grown throughout the temples are spectacular. I have never seen anything quite like it. The roots were hundreds of meters long and many were almost a meter in width! There was an air of mystery and sadness as we traversed through the temples, but also of beauty and peacefulness as well. To see an ancient man-made structure overcome with the forces of nature was certainly something I will never forget.
One downside of the rediscovery of the temples by westerners is that the temples were looted; heads of Buddha statues and jewels that adorned them were stolen. Many of the relics are thought to be in European museums, such as the Louvre, and there is a movement under foot to return these relics to their Cambodian homes.
This was a life-changing trip for me. The ruins were truly remarkable. The warmth of the Cambodian people is what is the most memorable.
