Date of Construction:
Early - Mid 12th
century C.E.
Religious Affiliation:
Hinduism
Patron or King: Suryavarman
II
Artistic/Archeo. Style:
Angkor Wat
Location: 6 kms north of
Siem Reap; nearest major temple to Siem Reap
Location of Entrance:
Western causeway
Duration of Visit: 2 hours
- half day
Time to Visit: Sunrise;
Afternoon for best light on face; Fewer visitors in the morning.
Photography Notes: Sunrise;
Afternoon for best light on face
Position: 13d24'44N 103d52'00E
Angkor Wat is
visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a
massive three tiered crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65
meters from ground level. Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any
visit to the temples of angkor.
At the apex of
Khmer political and military dominance in the region,
Suryavarman II constructed Angkor Wat in the form of a massive
'temple-mountain' dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It served
as his state temple, though the temple's uncommon westward
orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as
Suryavarman II's funerary temple. Other temples of the same
style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and
Beng Mealea, which may have served as a prototype to Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is
surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters
x 1500 meters. The temple itself is 1km square and consists of
three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the
temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings.
Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the
walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest
examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. But it is the
exterior walls of the lower level that display the most
extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from
Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. It is
in the viewing of the bas-reliefs that a tour guide can be very
helpful.
The northern
reflecting pool in front is the most popular sunrise location.
For sunrise, arrive very early, well before sunrise begins. The
sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of
Angkor's distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise
sky. Some of the best colors appear just before the sun breaks
over the horizon.
The visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first
visit, is awesome. As you pass through the outer gate and get
your first glimpse, its size and architecture make it appear two
dimensional, like a giant postcard photo against the sky. After
you cross through the gate and approach the temple along the
walkway it slowly gains depth and complexity. To maximize this
effect you should make your first visit in optimal lighting
conditions, i.e. after 2:00pm. Do not make your first visit to
Angkor Wat in the morning when the backlighting obscures the
view.
The first level of is
the most artistically interesting. Most visitors begin their
exploration with the bas-reliefs that cover the exterior wall of
the first level, following the bas-reliefs counterclockwise
around the temple. Bas-relief highlights include the
mythological battle of Kuru on the west wall; the historical
march of the army of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat,
against the Cham, followed by scenes from Heaven and Hell on the
south wall; and the classic 'Churning of the Ocean Milk' on the
east wall.
The temple interior is not as densely carved
as the first level exterior, but still sports hundreds of fine
carvings of apsaras and scenes from Hindu mythology. A guide can
be quite helpful in explaining the stories of the various
Chambers, statues and architectural forms to be found in the
interior. At the upper-most of your tour of the temple, the
central tower on the third level houses four Buddha images, each
facing a different cardinal point, highlighting the fact that
though Angkor Wat was constructed as a Hindu temple, it has
served as a Buddhist temple since Buddhism became Cambodia's
dominant religion in the 14th century. Some say that it is good
luck to pay homage to all four Buddha images before departing
Angkor. |
