Cambodia’s Angkor Wat is More than Just One Temple

By
Nikoleta P
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Photo by Edmund Lou on Unsplash

Cambodia is home to many magnificent temples, but most of them are overshadowed by its biggest attraction—Angkor Wat. However, many equally breathtaking temples are located in its surroundings, and these three belong on your bucket list.

Ta Prohm Temple

This temple is located in Siem Reap, a short ride away from Angkor Wat. It’s one of the most visited tourist attractions in this region, best known for the trees growing out of the ruins. If you think this temple looks straight out of an action movie, that’s probably because you had a chance to see it in the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider franchise.

Bayon Temple

Located about three kilometers away from Angkor Wat, Bayon is another temple you shouldn’t miss during your visit to this area. Its most striking feature is the gigantic stone faces, known for their smiling, serene expressions.

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There are many different reasons as to why travelers flock to #beautifulcambodia, be it as part of their South East Asia exploration, to join the backpacking party scene, or bask in a spiritual experience. No matter what the reason, there is always so much more to learn in the Kingdom of Wonder, for example it's grand history. We take you to Siem Reap, the city of Angkor, to the majestic Bayon Temple. ⁠ ⁠ Built by kings, the ancient Bayon Temple of is a mixture of spirituality, history and symbolism. The 12th century is considered as Khmer Empire's Golden Age. In addition, the prosperity and wealth of the empire allowed Khmer kings to build numerous temples throughout their lands as a sign of their abundance.⁠ ⁠ The Bayon Temple was built in the late 12 th or early 13 th century A.D. by Jayavarman VII, one of the Khmer Empire’s greatest kings. Unlike the other temples built by the Khmer, Bayon Temple is unique. It was the only state temple built as a Mahayana Buddhist shrine dedicated to the Buddha. After the death of Jayavarman, the features of the Bayon Temple were altered according to the religious belief of his successors, therefor it contains Hindu and Theravada Buddhist elements that were not part of the original designs.⁠ ⁠ Of all the original features of the Bayon Temple, it is the over 200 gigantic stone faces These faces were dubbed the ‘Mona Lisa of South East Asia’ and came in sets of four, each identical, and pointing to a cardinal direction. All the cardinal direction symbolizes different meanings. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ 📸 @sokhamarky⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠Beautiful Cambodia, is an online magazine which aims to introduce Cambodia to YOU as YOUR next holiday destination. Discover more through the link in our bio or visit directly www.beautifulcambodia.asia!⁠⁠ ⁠ #cambodia #visitasia #beautifulseasia #siemreapnet #kampot #kep #travelasia #travelinasia #my_365 #cambodiatrip #weliketotravel #ankgor #angkorwat #cambodge #lostinangkor #taprohm

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Banteay Srei

This 10th-century Cambodian temple can be found 30 km away from Angkor Wat. It’s dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, and it’s popular with tourists thanks to its red sandstone structure and elaborate decorative wall carvings.

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Banteay Srei definitely sets itself apart from other Angkor temples. It’s small, delicate, and has the most intricate carvings of all. It’s made of red sandstone, and that creates a distinctive look. This 10th century Hindu temple is dedicated to Shiva and built in honour of female deities. For this reason, it is often referred to as “the lady temple”. … The temple lies in a really nice and tranquil location, surrounded by nature, and quite far from the main cluster of temples – 30km north-east of Angkor Wat. It's very popular though, with tour groups in particular. Get there early if you can (before 9am). … #cambodia #beautifulcambodia #angkor #angkortemples #banteaysrei #visitcambodia #siemreap #travelcambodia

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