Architecture sights in Siem Reap
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Ta Prohm
Ta Prohm is as seductive as Lara Croft. The site of some of her cinematic adventures, it is a series of dark galleries and pillars held hostage under the iron clasp of gigantic roots. The walls are decorated with carvings of sensuous celestial nymphs with smaller roots crawling across them like a rash.
Built in AD 1186 by King Jayavarman VII, the temple was dedicated to his mother. In its prime it was a holy trunk of great treasures. According to the Sanskrit inscriptions on the walls, the temple held thousands of pearls, precious stones and golden dishes weighting more than 500kg.
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Banteay Srei
This 'Citadel of Women' dedicated to Shiva, is a stunning tour de force of classical art and the most ornate of all of the temples. Though it is relatively tiny in size compared to its mammoth counterparts, it has the most intricate carvings and is believed to be the instigator of the Khmer art movement. The detail is astounding and each doorway, each lintel and every wall is a masterpiece.
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Angkor Thom
From Angkor Wat, the bridge leading to the south gate of Angkor Thom has two incredible balustrades of giants handling nagas (mythical serpents, often multiheaded), an incredible first impression made only more dreamlike by the elephants plodding out of the arched entrance topped by the four enormous faces of Avalokiteshvara (the Buddha of Compassion). Angkor Thom is a walled compound bordered by a 100m wide moat. It was built by the great King Jayavarman VII (r 1181-1219) as his royal palace.
The complex has five gateways, each with double portals. Four of the gateways point to each side of the compass, while the fifth is a Victory Gateway.
Behind the 8m walls lie some of…
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Phnom Bakheng
When King Yasovarman I (r 889-910) moved the capital to Angkor proper, he built Phnom Bakheng as his capital. The temple, a 65m five-tiered pyramid, is a study of Hindu numerology. At the summit, five towers form a quincunx to echo the five peaks of the heavenly mountain. At its most magnificent, the pyramid was surrounded by 108 towers representing the 27 days of four lunar cycles.
An ascending temple of towers, this is a great place to view the rise and fall of the sun over the distant Angkor Wat. However, a gazillion others try to do the same so it can be rather frustrating to get that money shot.
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Temples of Roluos
The very first site of the ancient Khmer civilisation was here in Roluos, then known as Hariharalaya. The temples of Roluos were built by King Indravarman I (r 877-89). The first was Preah Ko (Sacred Bull) named after the Nandin statue found on site. Preah Ko has six brick towers each dedicated to his parents, maternal grandparents and to King Jayavarman II and his wife.
Next came Bakong, a terrestrial version of the celestial Mount Meru. It is a five-tiered pyramid-temple and was the inspiration for many of the temples that followed.
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Preah Khan
Where all faiths collide, Preah Khan is a Buddhist complex with parts dedicated to Vishnu and other sections to Shiva. Part of King Jayavarman VII's impressive portfolio, Preah Khan was dedicated to his father, the multisyllable Dharanindravarman. It was originally a Buddhist complex housing more than 1000 Buddhist teachers. Covering 56 hectares, it is also another compound where temples and trees intertwine, evoking the conquistador feeling of discovering ancient secrets.
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Miniature Replicas of Angkor’s Temples
Can’t afford the helicopter ride over Angkor? Don’t fancy the balloon? For the bluffer’s way to get that aerial shot of Angkor Wat, visit the garden of a local master sculptor, which houses miniature replicas of Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Banteay Srei and other temples. Astute observers might question the presence of oversized insects in the shot, and it doesn’t quite deliver the authentic sunrise over Angkor.
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Wat Bo
Wat Bo is one of the town’s oldest temples. It has a collection of well-preserved wall paintings from the late-19th century, depicting the Reamker, Cambodia’s interpretation of the Ramayana. Look out for the stunning roof of the main pagoda, a classical Khmer design.
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