The ancient capital of the Khmer kingdom, Angkor is a spectacular landscape of crumbling stone reliefs, great towers, encroaching jungle roots, orange-clad monks and spectacular sunset reflections. Angkor is the most popular destination in Cambodia by far, and one of the most iconic and awe-inspiring sacred sites in the world. Its central attraction, Angkor Wat, is proudly featured on the Cambodian flag and it is a major boost to the economy of the recovering country. Stretching across some 400 sq km, including forests and jungles, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the Khmer Empire dating from the 9th to the 15th century. Angkor Wat, is believed to be the largest religious structure in the world, and there are many other fascinating temples to explore as well.
The city of Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The Khmer empire was one of the most prosperous and sophisticated kingdoms in the history of Southeast Asia, and its prosperity was expressed through a wide range of architecture.
The city of Angkor was founded on political and religious ideas adapted from India, and the temples of Angkor were intended as a place of worship for the king and a way for him to ensure his immortality through identification with the Hindu gods.
Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century as a vast funerary temple that would hold his remains, symbolically confirming his permanent identity with Vishnu.
Many of the bas-reliefs in the temple depict scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Hindu sacred texts that recount the adventures of two major incarnations of Vishnu.
During its six centuries as imperial capital, Angkor went through many changes in architectural styles and in religion. The city of Angkor transferred its from the Hindu god Shiva to the Hindu god Vishnu, and finally to the Mahayana Buddhist deity Avalokitesvara.
By the late 13th century, the once frenzied pace of Angkor’s architectural pursuits had begun to die down, and a more restrained type of religion was on the rise under the growing influence of Theravada Buddhism.
At the same time, Angkor and the Khmer Empire were increasingly threatened and attacked by invading armies. By the 16th century, the golden age of Angkor was over and many of the great temples began to recede into the jungle.
From the 15th to 19th centuries, Theravada Buddhist monks cared for Angkor Wat, and it is thanks to them that the temple remains mostly intact. Angkor Wat became one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Southeast Asia.
It is a beautiful place.
That is the place where you gotta make your Holidays?
Yep,coming up next.
You can write in your native language!
Thank you, I will
Nu ii pkace Craciunul sau pleci din cauxa frigului ?
Cu alte cuvinte te-ai saturat de taditia europeana si doresti sa cunosti tradiia asiatica?
Ai mai spun cuiva de locul asta (blog, ca eu nu am zis nimanui de el ) ?
Traditita asiatica o cunosc mai demult nu e prima oara cand sunt acolo,perioada aceasta e cea mai buna pt. o vizita in SE Asiei.
Cred ca sunt putini care citesc insa cu siguranta sunt cativa.
Traditiile de Craciun sunt transformate intr-o masinarie de facut bani iar aerul ce plutea candva asupra sarabatorilor de iarna a pierdut mult din intensitatea de altadata.
Aici ai dreptate, totul a devenit prea comercial , se vinde totul iar in timp ce incasarile cresc , spiritul Craciunului dispare.
Din pacate .