Angkor Wat

In our tight schedule, one of the "must see" places, as well as the primary reason for visiting Cambodia, was Angkor Wat. It is worth mentioning that the road to this amazing place was an adventure on itself, it lasted over 12 hours in excruciating heat, unpaved, extremely bad, dusty roads on 2 old Cambodian buses full with people, backpacks and luggage blocking the main passageway. And so we made it...

Stunning Angkor ruins are a collection of more than 900 temples dating back to the 9th century. The Angkor era, which lasted for over 600 years, was marked by gargantuan building projects, temples and palaces, with complex designs and construction methods.

Angkor Wat is the main temple dating back to 12th century and represents the height of Khmer art, combining architectural harmony, grand proportions, and detailed artistry. The most memorable feature of the temple is the distinctive conical shaped towers designed to look like lotus buds.

While touring the temple, one walks in corridor like galleries, moving from outside to inside and through different levels.

 Most probably the bass reliefs on the temple walls are divinities, but they are popularly known as Apsaras, which are celestial nymphs in Hindu mythology.

 One of the many statues in the temple. Unfortunately most of them are well made replicas, since the original ones have been targets for thieves since the 1970s.

 One of many "infinity" corridors. The powerful impact of simple repetition of an architectural element, in this case columns,  is so evident.

 Not only tourists from around the world come to see this historical monument, but also the monks from the neighboring countries.

 The gallery of bass relieves. The carvings cover the entire wall of total length of ~700m and 2m height, depicting religious narratives, battle scenes and Hindu epics. The best known carving "The Churning of the Ocean of milk" is known to be one of the greatest stone sculptures ever created.

 Inside the giant courtyard.

 It's hard to believe that these details are over 800 years old.

 There was a beautiful traditionally dressed woman taking part in a ceremony.

 There's a small orphanage on the Wat territory, where kids are taught language and music.

 This is Angkor Tom, which was the last and greatest capital of the Angkor era. We are looking at the Terrace of the Elephants - 3 headed elephant guard the entrance to the southern end.

 Framed portals through the long corridor.

 There are 5 sandstone Gopuras crowned with 4 large heads facing the points of the compass flanked by an image of Hindu god Indra riding a 3 headed elephant.

 It is hard to capture the scale of the structure as it is extraordinary large.

 Impressively long raised stone walkway leads to Baphuon recently opened after a monumental 50 year old restoration during which the entire temple was dismantled and then put together stone by stone.

 Looking down from the pyramid top of the Baphuon temple.

 The most remarkable feature of the temple is that the entire terrace of the West wall is roughly sculpted into the shape of a huge reclining Buddha. Try to spot if you can.

 Ta Phrom is a 12th century monastery that unlike other Angkor temples, was left to the jungle and appears roughly as it did to the Europeans who rediscovered these ruins in 19th century.

 Gate into the jungle....

 Man-made structure is defeated by the nature around it. The scene was truly mysterious.

Sun setting onto the Banteay Kdei, which is a huge Buddhist temple build in the twelfth century. It is one of the quietest Angkor sites and its meditating state was a perfect place to say good-bye to this amazing piece of history.