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If you speak French, the only guidebook you will need was written by Maurice Glaize in 1944. It is a classic, and a monument to Angkor on its own. We know something about it, a couple of us have been working as archaeologists in the area. Most of the newer English version guides are cut and paste plagiarism of Lok Maurice's work. You may also look for any of the books written by members of the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient (EFEO), Georges Coedes, Bernard Groslier, Claude Jacques and other Henri Marchal. Several have been translated into English and other languages. Lok David Chandler's History of Cambodia, is another excellent companion book for the learned visitor, and is equally academically rigorous. You can easily find all these books at the old market in Siem Reap, at a bargain price of course.
As Lok Maurice Glaize writes, there is only one way to enjoy a visit of Angkor: stay at least one week and visit a maximum of three temples per day. Since the early days of tourism, at the beginning of last century, it has been customary to divide temples to visit into two circuits: petit circuit (17 kilometers) and grand circuit (26 kilometers).
Unfortunately, only a fraction of your entrance fee goes to the Aspara Authority, the agency in charge of conserving Angkor. One-day pass: US $20 Three-day pass: US $40 Seven-day pass: US $60
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Angkor Wat Warrior Builder: Suryavarman II Consecration stele: XIIth century Cult: Brahmanism (Vishnu)
Go for: The moat surrounding the city is 190 meters wide. Angkor Toch as we also call it, or Smaller Angkor, covers a rectangle of 200 hectares, 1.5 kilometer long by 1.3 kilometer wide. Has always been a pilgrimage site for the Khmer, and will always be until we are no more. Bas relief covering a total surface of one square kilometer over a 2 meter height: battle of Kuruksetra; court and army of Suryavarman II; heaven and hell; churning of the ocean of milk; battle of Vishnu against the Asuras; battle of Lanka; victory of Krisna over Bana; battle of the Devas against the Asuras. Spend a lifetime time here and you will discover new treasures.
Anecdote: Angkor Wat has always figured on the Cambodian national flag, despite numerous regime changes. An American lady had the ashes of her remains scattered on the main causeway in 1935.
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Phnom Bakheng Warrior Builder: Yaçovarman I Consecration stele: Xth century Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)
Go for: Mythical city of Yaçodarapura culminating on a 60 meter high inselberg. Perfect square, 4 kilometers in length. 109 towers over five stories. Originally, four sculptures of Nandin at each corner of the pyramid, the bull used by Civa as a sacred mount.
Anecdote: Crowded with tourists at sunset, but sunrise is as magnificent. A bit of a hike to go up, and going down is worse. Lazy visitors may use elephants instead.
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Baksei Chamkrong - The Bird that Shelters under its Wings Warrior Builders: Harshavarman I - Rajendravarman II Consecration stele: Xth century Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)
Go for: A small temple of brick and laterite. Far from the crowds, a nice getaway.
Anecdote: Legend says that a bird protected the King from his enemies under his wings, hence the name of the temple.
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Angkor Thom Warrior Builders: Jayavarman VII Consecration stele: XIIth - XIIIth centuries Cult: Buddhism
At the end of the XIIth century, Cham warriors, sailing up the Mekong River had defeated the garrison of Angkor to occupy the capital city. The origins of Jayavarman VII, a legendary and mystical Khmer King are shrouded in mystery. A prince with lower hierarchical rights of accession to the throne, he had spend his earlier years in meditation and multidisciplinary studies. Jayavarman VII was forty years old, when the unexpected task befell him to rally the scattered remnants of the Khmer Legions. These were to be forged through years of ruthless war by the end of which the Kingdom of Champa was laid to waste and annexed to the Empire.
Jayavarman VII is remembered both as a legendary warrior, and a legendary builder. He spent most of his ruling years extending the borders of the Empire to include much of present-day Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. He simultaneously undertook a comprehensive public infrastructure program, to include temples, but also universities, hospitals, and roads. At the height of the Empire, Angkor Thom was a city of one million inhabitants, and its political, administrative and cultural center. The city covers a total area of 900 hectares, and is a perfect square. Each side of the outer wall is 3 kilometers in length, and over 20 meters in height. The moat, which was populated with crocodiles, is 100 meters wide.
The petit circuit winds its way through Angkor Thom. It would take a casual visitor years to discover the secrets of the Great City. We have listed all the temples of Angkor Thom in our grand circuit section. |
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Chau Say Tevoda Warrior Builders: Harshavarman I - Rajendravarman II Consecration stele: Xth century Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)
Go for: Similar design and located close to Thommanon, but currently under restoration. Compare the two temples to get an idea of the complexities of heritage conservation and anastylosis.
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Thommanon Warrior Builder: Suryavarman II Consecration stele: XIIth century Cult: Brahmanism
Go for: Well restored temple of classical Angkorian design. The French EFEO dismantled it and rebuilt it in the 1960s using original materials. Great carvings of Civa and Vishnu.
Anecdote: The suffix varman has been added without exception to the names of all ruling Khmer Kings, including the present one. Varman means "son of the lion", while Jaya means "great". Of course, these names may be used only by kings, and not by ordinary Cambodians.
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Bantey Kdei - The Citadel of the Cells Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII Consecration stele: XIIIth century Cult: Buddhism
Go for: Built as a Buddhist monastery (700 meters by 500 meters). Much deterioration due to the use of lesser grade construction materials. Defaced by iconoclast after the restoration of Brahmanism. Still used as a Buddhist monastery when it was first excavated in the early 1920s.
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Spean Thma - The Bridge of Stone Post Angkorian
Go for: Bridge over the Siem Reap River. Located left of the little circuit some 200 meters from Thommanon.
Anecdote: Water is power. The mastery of hydrology was the prerogative of the Khmer rulers. Hydrological structures such as the great Barays and bridges allowed the Khmer Kings to control the flow of rivers to ensure a steady supply of water for people and agriculture.
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Ta Keo - Grandpa Glass Warrior Builder: Jayavarman V Consecration stele: XIth century Cult: Brahmanism (Civa)
Go for: Distinguishable by its massive four towers. Sturdy temple, but unfinished. Central tower 50 meters in height. First temple to be built with sandstone. Simple and beautiful.
Anecdote: Possibly, the successor of Jayavarman V, Suryavarman I preferred to leave the temple as it was, so as not to take credit for the deeds of his ancestors.
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Ta Nei Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII Consecration stele: XIIIth century Cult: Buddhism
Go for: Accessible via a 200 meter long forest path. Generally forgotten by tourists and guidebooks, this is an isolated hidden under vegetation temple.
Anecdote: The Angkor Wat World Heritage Site is a protected landscape, a kind of protected area managed for cultural purposes. Much of the area in the rest of the Province, and immediately beyond the boundaries of the park, has been deforested.
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Ta Prohm - Grandpa Brahma Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII Consecration stele: XIIIth century Cult: Buddhism
Go for: Legendary Buddhist monastery which extended its influence over some 3140 villages. Outer wall of 1kilometre in length and 600 meters in width. The consecration stele records 12,640 people living in the temple, of which 18 Grand Priests and 615 Apsaras. The temple boasted 5 tons of golden dishes, 512 silk beds and 79,365 support staff.
Anecdote: Intentionally left unrestored by the EFEO as an example of forest covered temple a la Lara Croft / Indiana Jones.
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Sras Srang - The Royal Bath Warrior Builder: Jayavarman VII Consecration stele: XIIIth century Cult: Buddhism
Go for: As you have probably noticed by now, our ancestors favored constructions on a massive scale. The bath is 700 meters long and 300 meters wide. The terrace and stairs, completed with naga balustrades, garudas, and watchful lions, are located east of Bantey Kdei. In Lok Maurice's own words: "The Sras Srang, by the last rays of the day, offers one of the most beautiful point of view of the Park of Angkor...".
Anecdote: The average Cambodian, if there's enough water around, takes on average 5 baths a day (because of the sweat and the heat).
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Prasat Kravan Warrior Builder: Hashavarman I Consecration stele: Xth century Cult: Brahmanism (Vishnu)
Go for: A personal favorite, this prasat is often ignored as it is the last one on the little circuit on the way back to Siem Reap after a long day of temple hopping and sightseeing and usually guidebooks tend to overlook it as well. The five brick towers are unmistakably recognizable. Elegant, poised and far from the crowd.
Anecdote: The only temple with bas-relief cut into bricks. Wondrous.
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