Cambodia. Angkor Wat: Discovering Laura Croft’s Temple from ‘Tomb Raider’
Located in north-central Cambodia, Angkor Wat (meaning “temple city”) is a massive building complex that served as capital of the ancient Khmer Empire (802-1431). Once extending from modern-day Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam, the Khmer Kingdom was larger than its European contemporary, the Byzantine Empire (330-1453). The name “Angkor Wat” is commonly used for both the complex of 50 temples and the individual temple of Angkor Wat. The Temple of Angkor Wat was constructed between 1122 and 1150 under King Suryavarman II, in honor of the Hindu God Vishnu.
Following an attack by the Chams in 1177, King Jayavarman VII converted Angkor Wat to Buddhism and began work on the nearby capital city of Angkor Thom (meaning “great city”). At its peak, Angkor Thom had a population of more than 750,000. Possibly due to a disruption in the city’s water supply, the Khmer capital city was moved to Phnom Penh in 1434. During the 16th century, the Angkor Wat temple complex fell into disuse but was never completely abandoned. In 1860, French explorer Henri Mouhot visited the former capital and three years later Cambodia became a French protectorate. In 1953, Cambodia was granted independence from France. Angkor Wat remains an important cultural symbol for Cambodians and is featured on the country’s national flag. Since its main period of occupation, the ancient city has been damaged by jungle growth, earthquakes, and conflict including Cambodia’s brutal civil war (1967-75). In 1992, the temple complex became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
My visit to the temple complex began with a commercial flight from Hanoi, Vietnam to the Cambodian city of Siem Reap (population 200,000). After checking in at our hotel, my travel companion and I bought tickets to see the temple complex for the following day. Covering more than 400 km2, Angor Wat is the largest religious complex in the world. With five towers constructed to symbolize peaks of Mount Meru, the Temple of Angor Wat is the largest and best-preserved structure within the larger complex. Four of the building’s towers are positioned on corners while a fifth and taller (213m) tower is located in the temple’s center. Surrounding the building is a 200-meter-wide moat that symbolizes the ocean. A sandstone causeway crossing the moat provides access to outer galleries with their 1,200 carved bas reliefs that interpret Hindu legends. Inside the courtyard we climbed a staircase that represents ascending into the kingdom of gods.
Our next stop was Angkor Thom. Visitors entering the city use a stone bridge flanked by 54 deities and 54 demons. Inside is Bayon Temple, also known as “Face Temple” because of 216 faces that appear on its 54 towers (one is above the temple’s entrance). It is believed that Bayon’s faces were designed to resemble King Jayavarman VII. Oriented to the east, Bayon was the last temple constructed within the larger Ankor Wat complex and the only one created for the worship of Buddhist deities.
After touring Angkor Thom, we stopped at Ta Prohn, a former monastery featured in Angelina Jolie’s 2001 film, Laura Croft: Tomb Raider. Originally known as Rajavihara, the monastery was constructed in 1186 and dedicated to Jayavarman VII’s mother. Today, the temple looks as though it’s being swallowed by the surrounding jungle with corridors clogged with vegetation and dislodged stone blocks. Crumbling walls, some breached by massive roots of banyan, fig, or kapok trees, contribute to Ta Prohn’s “lost world” feeling.
Our final stop was Lake Tonlé Sap. With a surface area that varies from 2,500 km2 in the dry season (November to May) to 16,000 km2 in the wet season (June to October), Tonlé Sap is southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. Our cab ride south to the lake took about 45 minutes. An unusual phenomenon associated with the lake’s considerable changes in size is a seasonal reversal of the Tonlé Sap River that flows into the lake during the wet season and out during drier months. Traveling by motorized canoe, we visited the floating village of Chong Kneas. Village life centers around fishing but is increasingly tied to tourism. Most villagers don’t choose to live on boats since nearly all are immigrant Vietnamese who are prevented by law from owning land. A smiling girl offered to sell us bananas from her boat.
