Beng Mealea, as we call it today, remains shrouded in mystery. Despite its large size, it’s not mentioned in any of the Khmer Empire’s inscriptions. Therefore, we don’t know when it was built, or by whom. The temple has been left unrestored, with parts of it having merged with the jungle. All of these enigmatic …
In the year 928, King Jayavarman IV decided to move the capital of the Khmer Empire from Angkor to Koh Ker, around 60 kilometers away. To this day, scholars have no idea why. Furthermore, this former capital is also home to one of the region’s most unusual structures. The seven-tiered pyramid of Prasat Thom hardly …
Amongst the Khmer Empire’s hundreds of temples, no more than a handful were ever built on mountaintops. Of these, Preah Vihear is the largest. Its layout is also unusual, making it one of the most unique temples in the region. But the temple wasn’t even accessible to visitors until 1998. And even within the past …
Visiting Preah Vihear: Cambodia’s Temple in The Sky Read More »
Despite being the only car on the road, we were moving at a snail’s pace. The large potholes were more like craters. Not too long ago, though, no roads to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay existed at all. With the temple, by far the Khmer Empire’s largest, just becoming accessible to tourists fairly recently, word …
Preah Khan of Kampong Svay: Cambodia’s Largest Temple Read More »
Near the city of Kampong Thom, almost exactly in Cambodia’s center, stands one of the country’s most sacred mountains. Phnom Santuk, as it’s known, has long been a pilgrimage spot for locals, but remains well off the radar for most foreign visitors. The mountain, though, has something to offer both nature lovers as well as …
Climbing the Colorful, Quirky Mountain of Phnom Santuk Read More »
When visiting the very oldest temples of Angkor, it’s clear that their art and architecture were already very refined. Obviously, the civilization didn’t just spring up out of nowhere. But who was there before? While the exact details are murky, it’s generally believed that two Cambodian kingdoms preceded the birth of Angkor in the 9th …
Visiting the Pre-Angkorian Ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk Read More »
In total, the Angkor Archaeological Park is home to hundreds of monuments. And most temples, even some of the more extravagant ones, can be neatly categorized into distinct architectural styles. There are several unique temples, however, that break the mold. And, while just about every stone structure left by the ancient Khmer was a temple …
Though the Khmer Empire lasted for several hundred years, we only have one single firsthand account from a foreign visitor. When the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan visited in the year 1296, Angkor Thom was still a thriving, vibrant and wealthy capital. And today, visitors can easily retrace Daguan’s steps, seeing everything from the monumental temples …
A Day in Angkor Thom: Cycling Through the Heart of the Khmer Empire Read More »
The late 12th century Angkor temples of Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Banteay Kdei make up what are known as Jayavarman VII’s ‘triad temples.’ Each temple, in fact, represents a member of the monarch’s favored Buddhist trinity, an ideology he worked hard to promote after centuries of Hindu dominance. Today, these temples have largely been …
Everywhere you look, the Angkor temples are teeming with symbolism. Thanks to the master artists who constructed and carved the temples, the vivid imagery is bound to captivate even those with little knowledge of its deeper meanings. Familiarizing yourself with the deities, mythological beings and basic concepts of Angkorian religion, however, can make exploring the …