Our Cambodian Temple Run

Welcome to day two of our temple run! On this adventure, we explored other temples around Angkor Wat which were really interesting and beautiful.

Ta Prohm

One of the main features of the Ta Prohm temple are the trees which have grown and worked their way into the ruins. The two main types of tree are the silk cotton tree and the strangler fig. They are planted when a bird drops a seed which starts to grow and the roots push their way through the bricks. It is amazing to see the big trees everywhere with their giant roots draped all over the place. Unfortunately, the trees are also a cause of the temple’s destruction. When the roots grow, they force the bricks apart and make spaces between them which are made bigger as the tree grows. The tree becomes a support, but if it dies or falls down, part of the temple collapses.

Ta Prohm was also in the movie “Tomb Raider” with Angelina Jolie. We watched the movie in our hotel and felt like Lara Croft when we were exploring the temple. 🙂

Ta Keo

This temple with its five towers is made to look like a representation of Mount Meru. The mountain is located in heaven in the Hindu(?) religion. We climbed Mount Meru in Tanzania, so we can say we saw the real thing and a representation. Ta Keo is also interesting because it is incomplete. There are still blank spaces on the walls where carvings were going to be.

Stairs leading up

A glimpse of the temple through the trees

Bapuon

Bapuon is different from the other temples because it doesn’t have towers and many buildings; instead the temple is a pyramid! Its five levels grow taller, getting closer and closer to the heavens. There is also the remains of a Reclining Buddha like the one we saw in Thailand.

Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei is a smaller temple and is 20 kilometres away from Angkor Wat. Although it is small, it makes up for its size with its beautiful carvings in the pink sandstone. One of the most popular carvings are of Apsara dancers. The dancers are celestial beings and are carved in almost every temple around Angkor Wat.

Zoe and I at the temple entrance

A section of carvings

Elaborate carvings

Apsara dancers

Banteay Srei temple

Bayon

Bayon is one of the most incredible temples. In the 13th century, it was considered the symbolic centre of the empire at the time and the universe. It is like the other temples, but its main feature are the face towers. These are a group of towers which appear to be growing taller and taller until they reach the centre. There are four faces carved on the four cardinal points (north, south, east, and west). The carvings look very powerful and majestic, and look amazing at every angle.

Bayon from a distance

The rising face towers

Different towers

The temple also references to different religions as Bayon served as both a Hindu and a Buddhist temple. Another feature are the extensive bas-reliefs about Khmer history and daily life.

Carvings on the wall

Bas-reliefs of Khmer history

A long wall of carvings

Looking in the guidebook for the stories in the carvings

Looking at the bas-reliefs

We visited this temple early in the morning, when the sun was starting to rise and we were the only people there. It was an amazing experience which can’t even be described with words. All of us have agreed Bayon is our favourite and the most beautiful temple.

Seeing all these temples was amazing and gave a look at how people in the ancient times worshiped their god(s). All the temples have something unique about them which makes them special and beautiful to see.