Angkor Wat - the Cambodian heaven

An excerpt from our guest's blog:

"Stretching over some 400 square km, the Angkor archaeological park contains the remains of many different capitals of the Khmer Empire with thousands of temples, shrines and tombs. Angkor was built in the early 12th century as a Hindu temple for god Vishnu and is now the symbol of Cambodia, with its main temple appearing on the country flag (despite the fact that Cambodia is a Buddhist country). In 1992, the Angkor temple complex was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is also currently one of the new seven world wonders. I came here on an autumn day in 2013 when the heat is not too intense and the rains have already gone.
 

I read somewhere that those who come back from Angkor always bring amazing artistic photos. What I have experienced proved this to be absolutely true. The temples are the perfect combination of two main elements in the classical style of Khmer architecture: the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple. Being the Hindu temples, Angkor also have many Indian influences. The area’s major temples such as Angkor Wat, Bayon, or Baphuon, are seen as world masterpieces and their level of artistic distinctiveness can be compared with that of Taj Mahal and other famous religious buildings. Each temple offers something different to appreciate and my tour through different parts of Angkor brought great surprises. The carefully carved sculptures and the detailed spires and wall, here and there covered in green moss, give Angkor a miracle look, one that is distinctive from other religious constructions that I have been to. The iconic scene of the sun rising over the temples of Angkor was irresistible for me and it definitely was worth waking up early for.

Being close to Cambodia’s major city of Siem Reap and only a short drive away from an international airport, Angkor Wat is not so much a ‘hidden’ treasure in terms of location. When it comes to the actual look of the site, however, everything becomes mysterious and Angkor truly appears as an undiscovered ‘heaven’. Deep jungles surrounding Angkor Wat separate it from the modern life, making me feel like I am being taken to a different world. Walking between the spiritual temples, I watched the faces of Hindu gods appearing slowly through the mist at dawn. Angkor Wat appears to be a sacred place that is too magnificent to be fully owned by human. I was lost in this place all day long just to realize its massiveness still hide many treasures from me. I would have to save every precious minute to adore this stunning ‘temple city’ before the sun sets, before the jungles and darkness reclaim its beauty. Even the temperature here is heavenly. With shades created by the tall temples and the many trees and water around, Angkor is kept significant cooler than the average burning heat of Cambodia. The magical atmosphere that Angkor Wat brings is almost indescribable and it must be experienced to correctly understand.

Angkor Wat is a result of the human creativity that ends up being something beyond our imagination – a heaven on earth…"

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