Cambodia - Ta Prohm and The Bayon

Ta Prohm - Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors. This was where Angelina Jolie shot for the film Tomb Raider.

Was surprised to see this.

Why can't we preserve our own monuments?

These have been purposely kept in this state.

One of the entry gates.

The Bayon - The Bayon was the last state temple to be built at Angkor, and the only Angkorian state temple to be built primarily as a Mahayana Buddhist shrine dedicated to the Buddha. The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and massive stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. The temple is known also for two impressive sets of bas-reliefs, which present an unusual combination of mythological, historical, and mundane scenes. It was my favourite temple.

One of the many faces of the Buddha

Best seen at sunset

Cambodia - the temple complex of Angkor

The temples of Angkor, built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, represent one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The structures one sees at Angkor today, more than 100 stone temples in all, are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis whose other buildings - palaces, public buildings, and houses - were built of wood and have long since decayed and disappeared.

Angkor Wat is a temple complex built for the King Suryavarman II in the early 12th Century as his state temple and capity city. It is said to be the largest Hindu temple in the world. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and one on my bucket list for ever so long. The temple is pretty well preserved and has been a significant religious centre since its foundation. It was first Hindu dedicated to the god Vishnu and later Buddhist.

Angkor Wat which means "City Temple", is symbolic of Cambodia and is the main tourist attraction. It was also made famous by Angelina Jolie in the Tomb Raider. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.