ASIA-CAMBODIA/Siem Reap-Angkor Ruins
WORLD FAMOUS BUILDINGS
From 'Explore worldwide'1999',The world atlas of Architecture' John Julius Norwich/Portland House,1988,
Angkor
Wat
Siem Reap
World
most biggest temple, built in 790-1432 on Kemer dynasty. Describing a
rectangle of 187 by 215meters the temple rises in three steps. Each one is punctuated
by corner towers and stairways rising to axial pavilions, with encircling galleries
linking them/1113-1150. Renowned Hindu temple complex at
Angkor, the region that served from 802 until 1295 as the capital of the Khmer
Empire of Cambodia, now a destination for Buddhist pilgrims. Built for King
Suryavarman II in the 12th century. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Information Center
Angkor
Wat
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Enterance
Angkor
Wat
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Moat
Angkor
Wat
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Sunset
Angkor
Wat
Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Causeway
Angkor
Wat
Angkor Wat was intermittently inhabited by Buddhist monks, and about 1550
portions of its bas-reliefs were finally completed. It subsequently became a
destination for Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Libraries
Angkor
Wat
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Complex
Angkor
Wat
The complex, built of both
sandstone and laterite, forms a rectangle of about 850 m by 1km. It was constructed to serve both as a sepulchre for Suryavarman II, whose
regime had adopted some aspects of Hinduism, and as a celebration of his status
as an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Pond
Angkor
Wat
As seen across a
pond, sometimes dry with grass growing.As a sepulchre
the temple was built facing west, rather than facing east, which was
traditional for Hindu temples. Taking more than 30 years to build, the layout of
the complex was conceived as an architectural allegory of the Hindu
cosmology. At the center of the complex stands a temple
with five lotus-shaped towers, a larger central tower, and four smaller
surrounding towers. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Details
Angkor
Wat
These represent the five peaks
of Mount Meru according to Hindu belief, the mountain where the gods reside and
from which all creation comes. The central tower enclosure is surrounded by
three square, terraced enclosures that rise toward the central towers. Photo by Jaehyung Yu on 2003 & Changyong Shin on 2004.
Doorway
Angkor
Wat
Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Hallway
Angkor
Wat
Angkor Wat is famous for having
the longest running bas-relief in the world. Beautifully crafted, many of the
carvings were once painted and gilded. They decorate the 2m high, galleried
walls having roofed walkways that run along the inside of the protective moat,
just outside of the temple complex itself. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Reliefs
Angkor
Wat
The reliefs depict
historical episodes in the life of King Suryavarman II; scenes from the Hindu
epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata; the exploits of the Hindu
gods Shiva and Vishnu with celestial nymphs known as apsarases; and scenes from
the daily life of the Khmer people at the time the complex was
built. Some of Angkor Wat's bas-reliefs
suffered damage at the height of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge movement in the 1960s
& 1970s. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Restoration
Angkor
Wat
Restoration work by Indian
technicians, Controversial because of some of the cleaning methods
used. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Night View
Angkor
Wat
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 14 January 2009.
Natural Root
Ta Prohm
Photo by Changyong Shin on December 2004.
West Gopura
Ta Prohm
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Hall of Dancers
Ta Prohm
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
House of Fire
Ta Prohm
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
East Gopura
Ta Prohm
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
South Gate
Angkor
Thom
Angkor Thum was built by earlier
Khmer kings, but its layout was modeled on Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple complex
south of Angkor Thum. Angkor Wat was finished about thirty years earlier under
Khmer king Suryavarman II, who was overthrown by the Cham army. Jayavarman was a
recent convert to Mahayana Buddhism, and is thought to have abandoned Hinduism
as a result of the defeat of the Hindu Suryavaram II by the Chams. Photo by Jaehyeong Yu on 2003.
Bayon Temple
Ankor Thom, Siem Reap
Royal city and Buddhist temple
complex at Angkor, the region that served from 802 until 1295 as the capital of
the Khmer Empire of Cambodia. Khmer king Jayavarman VII, who reigned in the late
12th and early 13th centuries, began building the vast monument at Angkor Thum after he had regained control of
the Angkor region from the Cham army of northern Cambodia, which had seized it
around 1177. Photo by Changyong Shin(31,2/2004), Jaehyeong Yu (#3,4/2003).
Bayon
Bas-Reliefs
Bayon Temple, Angkor
Thom
Man on elephant,
animal suckling and crocodile biting man's
leg. The exterior of the outer walls
included bas-reliefs depicting historical events, and the bas-reliefs on the
exterior of the inner walls depicted legendary scenes. After the death of
King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon was in fact converted into a Hindu temple by
Brahman priests. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Carved
Face
Bayon Temple, Angkor
Thom
The structures of Angkor Thum
were built of sandstone, porous, iron-bearing soil that
can be quarried like stone and wood. The entire complex was surrounded by a 100
m wide moat that was used both for defense and as part of the irrigation system,
which included large artificial lakes, or barays, outside of the temple complex
to the east and the west. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Details
Bayon Temple, Angkor
Thom
Numerous
causeways led over the moat to the complex. The 8 m high exterior walls of the
complex formed a perfect square, two sides running east to west and two sides
running north to south. In the center of each wall was an elaborate gateway and
road into the complex, each leading to the gateways in the center of the
exterior walls of the Bayon. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Carving
Bayon Temple, Angkor
Thom
Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Stairway
Bayon Temple, Angkor
Thom
Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Doorway
Bayon Temple, Angkor
Thom
The sculpture and bas-relief
carvings that decorate the gallery walls of much of Angkor Thum appear to have
once been painted and gilded. Although extensive, they are generally considered
to be of inferior quality to those of Angkor Wat. The interior walls of the
temple buildings themselves are devoid of ornament, although it is thought that
they were once covered with murals. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Corridor
Bayon Temple, Angkor
Thom
Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
Baphuon Temple
Angkor
Thom
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Phimeanakas
Angkor
Thom
Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Terrace of the Elephants
Angkor
Thom
The 350m-long Terrace of Elephants was used as a giant reviewing stand for
public ceremonies and served as a base for the king's grand audience hall. The terrace was used by Angkor's king Jayavarman VII as a
platform from which to view his victorious returning army. Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Leper King Terrace/Terrace of the Leper King
Angkor
Thom
Terrace was built just north of the Elephants Terrace. Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Prasat Suor Prat
Angkor
Thom
Built at the end of the 12th Century by King
Jayavarman II (reigned 1181-1220). Set of twelve towers located in front of the Terrace of the Elephants, It's
means 'Towers of the Rope Dancers'. Photo by Byunguh Yu on 13 January 2009.
Phnom Bakheng
Siem Reap
Hindu temple to dedicated to Shiva, built at the
end of the 9th century, during the reign of King Yasovarman (889-910 AD). Located atop a hill. Photo by Changyong Shin on 2004.
