Gnarfgnarf Grand Circuit, Angkor

grand circuit

Angkor is for many Cambodians, a city of pilgrimage, where the true Khmer come back to the very sources of their culture. It is always a bit heart breaking for us to wander among the ruins of a glorious past, the ruins of a civilization far greater and wiser than present-day Cambodia . Please, do not deface any monument, do not write any inscription, and do not take any stones away. Come in peace and you will receive blessing. Come to destroy and steal, and you will be cursed. Some say the old spells are still potent. You came to Cambodia for the temples. Blessed are those who can admire the wonders built by our ancestors for the Gods they worshiped.

Angkor Thom

Bayon

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII

Consecration stele: XII^th-XIII^th centuries

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: Over three levels, the 54 towers and their 216 smiling faces stand at the exact center of the city. Picture the Bayon as a temple built in a busy district of a thriving megalopolis of one million inhabitants. The faces may be representations of the Bodhisattva Lokeçvara.

The temple has more than 1.2 kilometers of bas-reliefs with representations of some 11,000 figures over two concentric galleries. You can easily spend a whole day in this massive open-air museum.

The Outer Gallery: (1) Eastern Section. The Khmer legions march off to another bloodshed. The whole army numbered more than 100,000 soldiers, and was at the time, the largest field army in the world. The procession is complete with cavalry, archers, javelin throwers, elephant riders, elephant mounted crossbows, catapults, spellcasters, musicians and ox carts. The carts are still in use in present-day Cambodia and provided logistical support to the legions. (2) Southern Section. The famous naval battles of Lake Tonle Sap, last quarter of the XII^th century which opposed the Khmer and the Cham. The Khmer are recognized by their short hair, while the Cham sport a trendy lotus flower. Fallen warriors are fed to the crocodiles. Naturalists and environmentalists will recognize the inundated forest ecosystem of the Great Lake, as well as several endemic species of fish and birds. The boats are still used for the water festival in November. The rest of the bas-relief is an extraordinary depiction of scenes from everyday life: shopping, hunting, cooking, cockfighting, wrestling. Further on, a final battle before a scrumptious banquet of the finest foods. (3) Western Section. Scenes of civil war? Temple building techniques. More fighting with plenty of elephants. (4) Northern Section. Athletes excel in games and sports in celebration of the festival of Indra. More biodiversity and animals from the local fauna. Another battle between the Khmer and the Cham. Getting lost? wait here go again...

The Inner Gallery: (1) Eastern Section. Ascetics and animals with forest and mountain backgrounds. Flying apsaras over countryside scenery. Usual military procession with Khmer and Cham warriors. (2) Southern Section. Another military parade in front of a palace. Princesses are watching from their rooms. Legend of Pradyumna, son of Krishna and Rukmini. Pradyumna, the God of Love, was thrown into the sea by a demon, swallowed by a fish, fished out by fishermen, raised by Maiden Mayavati who would be his wife. Eventually, Pradyumna gets even (violently of course) with the demon. (4) Western Section. Celebration of Vishnu. Garuda is tamed by the God to become his divine mount. Celebration of Civa. Nandin, the Divine Bull, is nearby. (5) Northern Section. Scenes from the Mahabharata. Usual military procession to honor Çiva. "Legend of the Leper King". The King fights a great snake and contracts leprosies through his venom.

Anecdote: The "enigmatic Khmer smile" is best reflected in this famous temple. Enigmatic to outsiders indeed, and often misinterpreted by barangs, it is simple politeness for us. The stone carvings depict the smiling faces of Apsaras, as well as the smiling faces of the Khmer legions as they butcher their enemies.

Baphuon

Warrior Builder: Udayadityavarman II

Consecration stele: XI^th century

Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)

Gor for: Undergoing restoration and anastylosis. An imposing monument, but only the 200 meter long elevated walkway is accessible to the public.

Anecdote: The temple predates the construction of Angkor Thom and corresponds to the center of the capital of Udayadityavarman II. Pretty cool name for a King, hey? Try pronouncing it really fast.

Phimeanakas - The Aerial Palace

Warrior Builders: Rajendravarman II - Jayavarman V - Suryavarman I

Consecration stele: X^th century

Cult: Brahmanism

Go for: This private pyramidal temple was for the King's own use. Originally topped by a golden tower symbolizing Mount Meru, it is worth the climb to get a good view of Angkor Thom.

Anecdote: Inscriptions on the temple's gopura reproduce the oath of the higher ranking dignitaries to serve the King. The same oath is still in use in present-day Cambodia.

Preah Palilay

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII

Consecration stele: XIII^th century

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: The location at the end of a footpath surrounded by tall tropical trees gives this small structure a bucolic character. The cruciform terrace is considered a perfect example of classical Khmer architecture.

Anecdote: Stele inscriptions often quote Jayavarman VII, a Buddhist King, as follows: "The Sufferings of the People are my Own Sufferings".

Tep Pranam - The Worshipping God

Warrior Builders: Yacovarman I

Consecration stele: IX^th century

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: One of the early Buddhist shrines, the temple is still used as a Buddhist monastery. Long serene walkway, at the end of which, sits a large statue of Buddha.

Preah Pithu

Warrior Builder: Yacovarman I

Consecration stele: XII^th century

Cult: Brahmanism and Buddhism

Go for: Located opposite Tep Pranam, lie five smaller temples. The classical ornamental carvings are worth the tour, despite the poor state of the structures. If you can spare a few million dollars, it would be great to restore these temples. Peacefully tourist-free.

Terrace of the Elephants

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII

Consecration stele: XII^th century

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: The Terrace of the Elephants extends some 300 meters between Baphuon and the Terrace of the Leper King. The tribune is more than 2.5 meters high and carved with elephants and garudas. This is where the King would review the Khmer legions as they paraded proudly to go get even with some neighboring folks. The terrace was also used for more benign purposes such as official audiences and religious parades. Three main platforms and two secondary ones provided ample viewing space .

Anecdote: The King of Cambodia kept three elephants in his palace until 1975.

Terrace of the Leper King

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII

Consecration stele: XII^th century

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: According to folklore, a king ruling over Angkor had leprosy, although this fact is disputed. Some archaeologists have suggested that the statue of the Leper King could be a representation of the god of Death, Yama, and that the terrace was the royal crematorium.

The EFEO has done a fine restoration job here. Imagine, they even used some French compagnons, the successors of the craftsmen who built the European cathedrals, to help sculpt missing bits and pieces. The walls of this seven meter high structure are carved with mystical beings, including garudas, nagas and giants. The life size apasaras, wearing full attire and jewelry, have been meticulously sculptured and are outstanding examples of classical Khmer art.

Anecdote: The Terraces and the Baphuon are best viewed towards the end of the afternoon, around tea time, when the hordes of tourists have marched off to get even with their tour operators.

Kleang - Storerooms

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman V

Consecration stele: XI^th century

Go for: The two Kleang (North and South), given their monumental sizes, meticulous architecture and beautiful ornamentations, are best described as royal warehouses rather than storerooms. The Kleang may have also been used as palaces for visiting high ranking dignitaries and foreign emissaries.

back on the grand circuit

Preah Khan - The King's Sword

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII

Consecration stele: XI^th century

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: Using a theodolite, you would find that the structure is a perfect rectangle 800 meter by 700 meter. If you have ever tried to build anything straight, you know how hard it is. Alignments are near perfect for most of the buildings constructed under the Angkor period. The King's Sword or the Sacred Sword, as the temple is known, was founded on a battlefield where King Jayavarman VII was victorious. Preah Khan is a legendary temple, which originally served as a monastery and a training ground for spellcasters and Buddhist monks. Preah Khan was also a university where the finest minds of the Empire were educated. The fall of Angkor and the sacking of Preah Khan by the Siamese in the XVth century coincided with the decline of the Khmer Empire.

What happened to the Sword, the palladium of the Empire, is a mystery. According to popular belief, the Sword will reappear in time of great need. Well, now would be good.

Anecdote: The Dean of Preah Khan was King Jayavarman VII's wife, Queen Indraktevi, a renowned scholar well versed in the classical arts, and according to legend, a fine warrior builder as well. Her name, among Cambodians, has remained as revered as that of her husband.

Neak Pean

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII

Consecration stele: XI^th century

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: The temple was on an island in the center of the Baray of Preah Khan, a large water reservoir measuring 3.5 kilometers by 900 meters. Originally, Neak Pean could be reached only by boat. While the Western Baray is still flooded, the Northern Baray has long dried up. The temple represents Lake Anavatapta, located in the Himalayas, and which gives birth to four great rivers. The water of the Lake, as the water of Neak Pean, is said to have curative powers. The four chapels have different water spouts (elephant, horse, lion, man). Neak Pean served as a hospital, where patients would be examined, prescribed medicinal drugs, and then directed to the appropriate spout to bathe themselves in the water.

Anecdote: The temple is located at the center of a lotus or cross pattern, a universal symbol of medical care... If you are a plant scientist or a botanist, have a closer look at the surrounding vegetation, people still come to Neak Pan to collect medicinal plants.

Ta Som - Grand Pa Som

Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII

Consecration stele: XI^th century

Cult: Buddhism

Go for: On-going restoration work. Recognizable from a distance by its tower with four faces overtaken by epiphytes and climbers. Many carvings of apsaras.

Anecdote: Siem Reap means "Victory over the Siamese".

Pre Rup - Turn the figure

Warrior Builder: Rajendravarman

Consecration stele: X^th century

Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)

Go for: Elegant and commanding, this temple, made of laterite and bricks, is an outstanding example of Khmer architecture. With perfect proportions and sober decorations, Pre Rup dominated a large city located close to the agricultural plain irrigated by the Baray Oriental.

Anecdote: Painstaking effort was put into the restoration of this monument, as the cleaning of brick structures from vegetation and soil require extra care.

Mebon Oriental

Warrior Builder: Rajendravarman

Consecration stele: X^th century

Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)

Go for: The Mebon Oriental was located at the center of the Baray Oriental, a large water reservoir which has dried up and has been turned into paddy fields. The Baray was some three meters deep, and the island 120 meters wide. The temple was dedicated to the parents of the King.

Anecdote: Don't be cheap, get some of the books we recommend, those written by real archaeologists.

beyond the circuits

Banteay Srei - The citadel of the Women

Warrior Builders: Rajendravarman II - Jayavarman V

Consecration stele: X^th century

Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)

Go for: A site famed for its carvings and sculptures on pink sandstone, the temple is known as the "jewel of Khmer art". The walls have been conscientiously and artistically sculpted with an abundance and an intricacy of details. Masterful workmanship.

Anecdote: Because of its isolated location, the temple has been a favorite of looters. The remaining carvings, although impressive, pale in comparison with the condition of the temple in the 1970s. Most carvings and sculptures have ended in the United States in private collectors' homes.