Ancient Destinations CambodiaCambodia is leaving behind its troubled past and has reinvented itself into a great historical vacation spot for travellers. From colonial architecture to exquisite Angkor Temples, the country will provide travellers with an unforgettable adventure.
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Angkor Wat is probably the most popular and most unique travel destinations site to visit in Cambodia. It is located about 192 miles northwest from the capital city of Phnom Penh. The temple is renowned for being the largest religious building in the world. It was first brought to the world's attention by French explorer Henri Mouhot in the mid 20th century. This extraordinary shrine measures 5,000 feet by 4,000 feet across (1,500 by 1,200 m). It was built by King Suryavarman (Khmer ruler) in the 12th century and was first dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu and then later to the religion of Buddhism. The complex covers almost 300 square kilometers and consists of five towers.
The highest tower of the temple represents the summit of Mount Meru. Meru is believed to be the home of the Hindu gods. The temple is surrounded by a wall and a large moat. Its buildings are adorned with beautiful statues and bas relief carvings. There are more than one hundred stone temples at Angkor (that also includes the complex of Angkor Thom). Angkor Wat is considered to be the better preserved temple and continues to remain a religious centre to this day. Recent studies carried out by alternative historians has brought to light that Angkor Wat does have a correlation to the constellation of Draco. (More Photos)
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Marc Loy Angkor Thom is the other enigmatic temple located in the province of Siem Reap. This incredible temple is four times larger than Angkor Wat. It was built by the Khmer king Jayavarman VII in the 12th century. The entire structure is surrounded by a moat 100 m wide and is dominated by three notable temples from within its walls. The temples are the Phimeanakas, the Baphuon and the Bayon. (More Photos) Throughout the temple complex, visitors will be confronted by numerous inscriptions depicting the king's life. The most dominant architectural feature of Angkor Thom is probably the Bayon Temple (a Buddhist temple). It lies at the center of the temple and symbolically represents the meeting of both heaven and Earth. This temple has fifty-four towers along with four enormous sculpted faces. Like Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom also has a mysterious connection to the constellations above.
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