Chapter 4
Angkor Thom - Baphoun - The sacred temple hill of copper
One of the most impressive places of all the Angkor archaeological park is the cluster of monuments that are in the area around both the Bayon temple, and the Terrace of the Elephants.
On the west of the Terrace of the Elephants (on the left of a tourist that comes to the Terrace of the Elephants, from the Bayon Temple), just next to the beginning of the very Terrace, the tourist can see a small stairway. If you're the tourist and you follow it, you'll first notice the elephants carved on the sides, then some demons, holding the second stage on their shoulders. When you reach the top, you'll have a very beautiful sight of the Terrace. If it is a sunny day, it can be impressive to see that broad open space.
But then, just after reaching the top of the wall, you'll also notice something. A gateway, which generic name is "Gopura", leads deep to west. You're tempted to see what's there, and you go through the gate. As soon as you pass through it, you find yourself into a long causeway. You can see it in the second picture of this group. This way, made of huge laterite bocks, is higher that the ground, and it lies on a very long series of columns. On the end of it, there's a majestic structure. An hill-sized temple. That is the Baphoun temple. So, you start walking toward it.
The long way, is deep into a peaceful setting. On your sides high walls close the access to it, and two big swimming-pools, one on each side, make it look even more peaceful. While you walk toward it, you'll notice that everybody is stunned by the huge temple, and nobody speaks. The silence is only broken by the sound of the nature and the Khmer children that ask you to buy something from them. You can see some of them in the third picture of this group. The more closer you get, the more you understand its size. But then, when you're close to it, you'll also feel some disappointment too. The monument is undergoing a profound restoration. Many people who have written guide-books say that the restoration has been going on for so many years that the fence and the cranes are becoming part of the temple itself. This long restoration is going on because it was built quite badly, on the wrong spot and to make matters worse, both nature and human armies did their best in destroying it. The temple wasn't all human-made, it had just a covering of a small hill under it. So, with the centuries, the weight of the stones and badly-made foundations along with the soft soil of the hill beneath the temple, brought on a collapse of the structure. So, the restoration of the temple needs to disassemble the very temple, to remake the foundations using steel and concrete, and then, to rebuilt the temple, placing the stones in the right spot. Now, if you walk around it, you can find your way to a big reclining Buddha.
If you keep going your way toward the forest behind the temple, you'll see an endless amount of stones scattered on the ground. Each of them has a number, and they'll be put back in their place when the work will be finished. This temple was very important at the times of the Khmer empire, as it was the house of the golden Shiva-Linga. The symbol of the Linga, was placed on the top of it, to bless the whole city. The Baphoun, when the city was alive, should have been amazing, as was described by Mr. Zhou Daguan "About a li (about 500 metres) north of the gold tower (the Bayon temple) there is a bronze tower. It is even taller than the gold tower, and an exquisite sight. At the foot there are, again, several dozen stone chambers". This massive temple, recalls to the memory the outline, both of the Phnom Bakeng and also the outside walls of Angkor Wat. The ageless temple and the peaceful area around you, bring to you a really deep sense of inner peace.
On the west of the Terrace of the Elephants (on the left of a tourist that comes to the Terrace of the Elephants, from the Bayon Temple), just next to the beginning of the very Terrace, the tourist can see a small stairway. If you're the tourist and you follow it, you'll first notice the elephants carved on the sides, then some demons, holding the second stage on their shoulders. When you reach the top, you'll have a very beautiful sight of the Terrace. If it is a sunny day, it can be impressive to see that broad open space.
But then, just after reaching the top of the wall, you'll also notice something. A gateway, which generic name is "Gopura", leads deep to west. You're tempted to see what's there, and you go through the gate. As soon as you pass through it, you find yourself into a long causeway. You can see it in the second picture of this group. This way, made of huge laterite bocks, is higher that the ground, and it lies on a very long series of columns. On the end of it, there's a majestic structure. An hill-sized temple. That is the Baphoun temple. So, you start walking toward it.
The long way, is deep into a peaceful setting. On your sides high walls close the access to it, and two big swimming-pools, one on each side, make it look even more peaceful. While you walk toward it, you'll notice that everybody is stunned by the huge temple, and nobody speaks. The silence is only broken by the sound of the nature and the Khmer children that ask you to buy something from them. You can see some of them in the third picture of this group. The more closer you get, the more you understand its size. But then, when you're close to it, you'll also feel some disappointment too. The monument is undergoing a profound restoration. Many people who have written guide-books say that the restoration has been going on for so many years that the fence and the cranes are becoming part of the temple itself. This long restoration is going on because it was built quite badly, on the wrong spot and to make matters worse, both nature and human armies did their best in destroying it. The temple wasn't all human-made, it had just a covering of a small hill under it. So, with the centuries, the weight of the stones and badly-made foundations along with the soft soil of the hill beneath the temple, brought on a collapse of the structure. So, the restoration of the temple needs to disassemble the very temple, to remake the foundations using steel and concrete, and then, to rebuilt the temple, placing the stones in the right spot. Now, if you walk around it, you can find your way to a big reclining Buddha.
If you keep going your way toward the forest behind the temple, you'll see an endless amount of stones scattered on the ground. Each of them has a number, and they'll be put back in their place when the work will be finished. This temple was very important at the times of the Khmer empire, as it was the house of the golden Shiva-Linga. The symbol of the Linga, was placed on the top of it, to bless the whole city. The Baphoun, when the city was alive, should have been amazing, as was described by Mr. Zhou Daguan "About a li (about 500 metres) north of the gold tower (the Bayon temple) there is a bronze tower. It is even taller than the gold tower, and an exquisite sight. At the foot there are, again, several dozen stone chambers". This massive temple, recalls to the memory the outline, both of the Phnom Bakeng and also the outside walls of Angkor Wat. The ageless temple and the peaceful area around you, bring to you a really deep sense of inner peace.
Angkor Thom - Phimeanakas - The royal palace house of an ancient benevolent spirit
After visiting the Baphoun temple, you can keep going north walking on the broad walls of the Terrace of the Elephants. In fact, just near, there is another building. In spite of the fact that this building is close to the Baphoun, it's not actually connected. They are just two different building that were built one next to the other. From the Terrace of the Elephants, at the beginning, you just see the Gopura (the gate) that brings you to this building. When you go through this gate, you find yourself walking on a large place surrounded by very tall trees.
Many children are scattered around again trying to sell you all kinds of things. The interesting things that I saw sold here, were some papers where there were copies of the Devatas. These kids said that they did them placing paper over the Devatas and pressing colours on the papers. I didn't want to buy one of these. First because I’d no room for them. And again, I didn't want encourage these kids to go to do those things on 1000 year old relics. Anyway, the kids started asking me 20 Dollars and ended asking me 2 Dollars. I still didn't want to buy, and I did the right thing, as the same evening I found many works like these in the market near my hotel. So, probably, they weren't even "real copies", but just fakes (at least these people aren't scrabbling the real statues).
The Phimeanaks palace is quite near to the Terrace of the Elephants, and as soon as you go past the Gopura, you find yourself before it. The style of this building is really delicious. The Palace, where the king lived, looks like a pyramid. You can see it in the second picture of this group. It has four sides and four floors (the fourth floor is small and hidden behind the galleries on the top). Each side has steep stairways, and they are alternated as more and less steep. People say that the more steep are those for men, while the less steep are those for women. Actually, I found that the more steep were too much dangerous, and I went up on an easier way. This building is quite small and it hasn't impressive carvings, but it's still very beautiful.
In the ancient past Mr. Zhou Daguan described this place as the sleeping quarters of the king and also as another Golden Tower. The interesting thing, is that at the times of the Khmer empire, people also believed in a legend about this place. It's quite interesting and Mr. Daguan describes it like this.. "Inside the palace there is a gold tower, at the summit of which the king sleeps at night. The local people all say that in the tower lives a nine-headed snake spirit which is lord of the earth for the entire country. Every night it appears in the form of a woman, and the king first shares his bed with her and has sex with her. Even his wives do not dare go in. At the end of the second watch he comes out, and only then can he sleep with his wives and concubines. If for a single night this spirit does not appear, the time has come for this foreign king to die (Mr. Daguan calls the king as "foreign" as he's reporting to Chinese people). If for a single night he stays away, he is bound to suffer a disaster".
When you climb on the top of it, you've a pretty sight of how the sleeping quarters of the king were made, and also of the two swimming pools outside of the palace. In fact, outside of the palace, but still within the defensive walls of the same building, there are two swimming pools. One is huge, while the other is small. The bigger was for the wives of the king, while the smaller one was for the few men that were allowed to stay near to the women. You can see the women’s swimming pool in the third picture of this group. In the very middle of the top of the tower, there is the room of the king. It's quite small, but probably it was just the bed place. When you are on the top, you can also take a walk on the galleries that surround the tower. Only when you're there can you feel how tall the tower is. This place has also a meaning for the recent Kampuchean history. In fact, during the "Khmer Rouge" dictatorship this temple was used as storage for the landmines. Now Kampuchea is still full of uncharted minefields, and it's still common to hear on TV of people injured by the blast of a landmine. The visit to this palace, in spite of the significance that it had in the Khmer history, takes a very short time. In fact, it is quite small, and it hasn't many carvings. In fact, it didn't need to be big, as it was only the sleeping place of the king and his wives. So, after your visit to this beautiful and interesting palace, you make your way back to the Terrace of the Elephants to visit some other interesting things.
Many children are scattered around again trying to sell you all kinds of things. The interesting things that I saw sold here, were some papers where there were copies of the Devatas. These kids said that they did them placing paper over the Devatas and pressing colours on the papers. I didn't want to buy one of these. First because I’d no room for them. And again, I didn't want encourage these kids to go to do those things on 1000 year old relics. Anyway, the kids started asking me 20 Dollars and ended asking me 2 Dollars. I still didn't want to buy, and I did the right thing, as the same evening I found many works like these in the market near my hotel. So, probably, they weren't even "real copies", but just fakes (at least these people aren't scrabbling the real statues).
The Phimeanaks palace is quite near to the Terrace of the Elephants, and as soon as you go past the Gopura, you find yourself before it. The style of this building is really delicious. The Palace, where the king lived, looks like a pyramid. You can see it in the second picture of this group. It has four sides and four floors (the fourth floor is small and hidden behind the galleries on the top). Each side has steep stairways, and they are alternated as more and less steep. People say that the more steep are those for men, while the less steep are those for women. Actually, I found that the more steep were too much dangerous, and I went up on an easier way. This building is quite small and it hasn't impressive carvings, but it's still very beautiful.
In the ancient past Mr. Zhou Daguan described this place as the sleeping quarters of the king and also as another Golden Tower. The interesting thing, is that at the times of the Khmer empire, people also believed in a legend about this place. It's quite interesting and Mr. Daguan describes it like this.. "Inside the palace there is a gold tower, at the summit of which the king sleeps at night. The local people all say that in the tower lives a nine-headed snake spirit which is lord of the earth for the entire country. Every night it appears in the form of a woman, and the king first shares his bed with her and has sex with her. Even his wives do not dare go in. At the end of the second watch he comes out, and only then can he sleep with his wives and concubines. If for a single night this spirit does not appear, the time has come for this foreign king to die (Mr. Daguan calls the king as "foreign" as he's reporting to Chinese people). If for a single night he stays away, he is bound to suffer a disaster".
When you climb on the top of it, you've a pretty sight of how the sleeping quarters of the king were made, and also of the two swimming pools outside of the palace. In fact, outside of the palace, but still within the defensive walls of the same building, there are two swimming pools. One is huge, while the other is small. The bigger was for the wives of the king, while the smaller one was for the few men that were allowed to stay near to the women. You can see the women’s swimming pool in the third picture of this group. In the very middle of the top of the tower, there is the room of the king. It's quite small, but probably it was just the bed place. When you are on the top, you can also take a walk on the galleries that surround the tower. Only when you're there can you feel how tall the tower is. This place has also a meaning for the recent Kampuchean history. In fact, during the "Khmer Rouge" dictatorship this temple was used as storage for the landmines. Now Kampuchea is still full of uncharted minefields, and it's still common to hear on TV of people injured by the blast of a landmine. The visit to this palace, in spite of the significance that it had in the Khmer history, takes a very short time. In fact, it is quite small, and it hasn't many carvings. In fact, it didn't need to be big, as it was only the sleeping place of the king and his wives. So, after your visit to this beautiful and interesting palace, you make your way back to the Terrace of the Elephants to visit some other interesting things.
Angkor Thom - Prasat Suor Prat and the Kleangs - The houses for the visitors and the storage
On the opposite side of the Terrace of the Elephants, from where you can visit the the Phimeneakas and the Baphoun, there is a line of twelve very small buildings. These buildings, some of which are in ruin, are called Prasat Suor Prat. The scholars believe that these building were used as spare houses for the nobles that were coming to meet the king, while the long buildings behind of them, the Kleangs, were their storage. In spite of that they are very small and the visit takes only few minutes as there are no-carvings over them, I still decided to describe these places because I've read something interesting about them. In fact, before going to Kampuchea, I read all the report of Mr. Zhou Daguan about this land. Most of the book is very interesting, but some times, it looks like he believed in some stories that he heard without checking them first hand. One of them, as the scholars say, is about the Prasat Suor Prat. In fact, Mr. Daguan, talk about them as the house of the "Divine Justice" and describe them with these words "If two families have a dispute to resolve and cannot agree on right and wrong, there are twelve small stone towers on a bank opposite the palace, and the two people concerned are sent to sit in two of them. Outside, the members of each family keep guard against the other. They may sit in the towers for a day or two, or for three or four days. Then for sure the one that is in the wrong becomes visibly ill, and leaves. He may have sores, or a cough or fever or something of the kind. The one who is in the right is absolutely fine. Thus right and wrong are assessed and decided on, in what is known as The Judgement of Heaven. Such is the spiritual power of the local Gods". As I wrote, most of the interest of the place was about the use of these buildings, more than their architecture, and their visit takes only a few minutes.
Ta Keo - The temple for the Ancerstor Keo
After visiting the area within the walls of Angkor Thom, you can chose which way to continue your trip. In fact, from the centre of Angkor Thom, you can pick a street going toward every cardinal point, and make sure that you'll still meet on your way some very interesting places worth being seen.
Now most of the visits are focused on the areas North, East and South of Angkor Thom, while the Western area is less visited. The main reasons are that, the West area is still a water reserve and it's flooded for the most of the time, and in that area there are even less temples. These few temples in that area are even in ruin so, if you lack time, you can focus on better preserved temples. While I was in Kampuchea, I decided to skip the West side and focus on the other three areas, and rather go and see other outer areas, which I was more interested in.
From the centre of Angkor Thom, I decided to head East, and follow a circular track that would bring me around the ancient Eastern water reserve (the Eastern Baray, that through the centuries had been filled with soil and now turned into rice fields). The Eastern defensive walls are the only ones that have two gates. One is called "The Victory Gate", while the other is "The Gate of the Dead". The first one is the main one, and that's also where the kings went though while doing parades. The second one was used for the transportation of the king's body on it's final journey. These days, you can go only through the Victory Gate, as the other causeway collapsed and hasn't been restored yet.
So, after leaving the centre of Angkor Thom, you go East, and after about 1 km, you meet on your way the Victory Gate. This gate is very similar to the South Gate, with also the two lines of Gods and Demons pulling the Naga, and even the three-headed elephant on the sides of the door. The ride toward these temple is quite pleasant as it's in the shadow provided by the tall trees, and it's a good time to rest after the long visiting of the central area of Angkor Thom. After going through the Victory Gate, you first meet on your way two citadels, one looking like the other, one is called Thommanon while the other is called Chau Say Tevoda. They both are undergoing profound restoration, and, beside the plan of the city, there's not much left to be seen. There are some bas-reliefs, but they aren't well preserved, so most of them, look like they are barely coming out of the buildings stones.
After these two citadels, you keep going East. You first meet a not very safe looking bridge across the Siem Reap River, and after that, the deep forest starts again. The street goes straight for a short while, you have just the time to feel again the pleasure of the hot wind on you, and then a turn on the left, brings you back to the reason for which you came here. And the one that calls you back to your need for exploration, is a very majestic pyramid that appears out of the forest. You can see it in the second picture of this group. The simple outline, the warm colour of the stone make it look like an oil painting into a beautiful frame provided by the tall forest trees. The name of this pyramid-temple is "Ta Keo", and it means something like "The Ancestor Keo". The temple is very huge, and when you reach there, you feel attracted by it. It's hard to describe, but you feel the need to go and climb it. So, you don't pay attention to the local people calling you, trying to sell you things, and you make your way toward the Ta Keo temple. This temple is surrounded by two lines of defensive walls. You can see them in the third picture of this group with some buildings that in past should have been libraries. The first is like real wall, while the second is made like a gallery, now without roof.
You first make your way through them, and then, you start to climb your way up the very steep stairways. The climb was a bit difficult, first because just before me arrived two vans with tourists that started to walk up the stairways before me, and besides some parts of the stairways are broken and you need also to use your hands. The fatigue of the day and the heat from the stones of the temple take your strength away, on every step you climb toward the top. The sound of the nature, mixed with the voices of the local people are following you up to the top. Then, as soon as you reach the higher square, you don't hear them anymore. Now you're into a really peaceful spot. The tourists from the vans had gone away quite fast, and I remained alone, with the guardians of the temple, to walk around it. This temple has a really beautiful architecture. It's like a pyramid with a terrace on the top. In the middle of the higher terrace there is a tower thats plan is a cross, and, there are also four more towers, one on each corner of the terrace. The temple attracts the tourists for its architecture and the greatness of its size. But beside this, you can see almost no carvings. In fact, a mystery is behind this lack of the carvings. This temple was started by a king named Jayavarman V around the year 1000 A.D. the works lasted about 10 years, but the king died just before the ending of the works. The temple was finished under the reign of the following king, named Suryavarman I. When the temple, high over 50 metres, was finished and it only needed the decorations, the king stopped the work, and left the temple incomplete. The very few decorations, and inscriptions on the stones show that this temple was dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Nobody knows the reason that brought the king to stop the work on this beautiful temple. Some scholars even supposed that the new king didn't want to take all the praise for finishing a temple wanted by his predecessor. But it sounds a bit too much romantic. Anyway, in our day, it's still very beautiful, and its hugeness can charm you while you're walking there.
Before leaving the place, I decided to rest some time and to feel the quiet there while watching its top. So, I lay on one of the walls on the higher terrace, and relaxed there. You can see me in the fourth picture. It was really hot, and I felt the need to spend some time to rest, but the stones were much too hot, and after short while I poured half a bottle of water over myself, and I started to move again. On my way back, I stopped at the local people that had a fresh market and I bought some water and food, before continuing my tour through these very majestic monuments.
Now most of the visits are focused on the areas North, East and South of Angkor Thom, while the Western area is less visited. The main reasons are that, the West area is still a water reserve and it's flooded for the most of the time, and in that area there are even less temples. These few temples in that area are even in ruin so, if you lack time, you can focus on better preserved temples. While I was in Kampuchea, I decided to skip the West side and focus on the other three areas, and rather go and see other outer areas, which I was more interested in.
From the centre of Angkor Thom, I decided to head East, and follow a circular track that would bring me around the ancient Eastern water reserve (the Eastern Baray, that through the centuries had been filled with soil and now turned into rice fields). The Eastern defensive walls are the only ones that have two gates. One is called "The Victory Gate", while the other is "The Gate of the Dead". The first one is the main one, and that's also where the kings went though while doing parades. The second one was used for the transportation of the king's body on it's final journey. These days, you can go only through the Victory Gate, as the other causeway collapsed and hasn't been restored yet.
So, after leaving the centre of Angkor Thom, you go East, and after about 1 km, you meet on your way the Victory Gate. This gate is very similar to the South Gate, with also the two lines of Gods and Demons pulling the Naga, and even the three-headed elephant on the sides of the door. The ride toward these temple is quite pleasant as it's in the shadow provided by the tall trees, and it's a good time to rest after the long visiting of the central area of Angkor Thom. After going through the Victory Gate, you first meet on your way two citadels, one looking like the other, one is called Thommanon while the other is called Chau Say Tevoda. They both are undergoing profound restoration, and, beside the plan of the city, there's not much left to be seen. There are some bas-reliefs, but they aren't well preserved, so most of them, look like they are barely coming out of the buildings stones.
After these two citadels, you keep going East. You first meet a not very safe looking bridge across the Siem Reap River, and after that, the deep forest starts again. The street goes straight for a short while, you have just the time to feel again the pleasure of the hot wind on you, and then a turn on the left, brings you back to the reason for which you came here. And the one that calls you back to your need for exploration, is a very majestic pyramid that appears out of the forest. You can see it in the second picture of this group. The simple outline, the warm colour of the stone make it look like an oil painting into a beautiful frame provided by the tall forest trees. The name of this pyramid-temple is "Ta Keo", and it means something like "The Ancestor Keo". The temple is very huge, and when you reach there, you feel attracted by it. It's hard to describe, but you feel the need to go and climb it. So, you don't pay attention to the local people calling you, trying to sell you things, and you make your way toward the Ta Keo temple. This temple is surrounded by two lines of defensive walls. You can see them in the third picture of this group with some buildings that in past should have been libraries. The first is like real wall, while the second is made like a gallery, now without roof.
You first make your way through them, and then, you start to climb your way up the very steep stairways. The climb was a bit difficult, first because just before me arrived two vans with tourists that started to walk up the stairways before me, and besides some parts of the stairways are broken and you need also to use your hands. The fatigue of the day and the heat from the stones of the temple take your strength away, on every step you climb toward the top. The sound of the nature, mixed with the voices of the local people are following you up to the top. Then, as soon as you reach the higher square, you don't hear them anymore. Now you're into a really peaceful spot. The tourists from the vans had gone away quite fast, and I remained alone, with the guardians of the temple, to walk around it. This temple has a really beautiful architecture. It's like a pyramid with a terrace on the top. In the middle of the higher terrace there is a tower thats plan is a cross, and, there are also four more towers, one on each corner of the terrace. The temple attracts the tourists for its architecture and the greatness of its size. But beside this, you can see almost no carvings. In fact, a mystery is behind this lack of the carvings. This temple was started by a king named Jayavarman V around the year 1000 A.D. the works lasted about 10 years, but the king died just before the ending of the works. The temple was finished under the reign of the following king, named Suryavarman I. When the temple, high over 50 metres, was finished and it only needed the decorations, the king stopped the work, and left the temple incomplete. The very few decorations, and inscriptions on the stones show that this temple was dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Nobody knows the reason that brought the king to stop the work on this beautiful temple. Some scholars even supposed that the new king didn't want to take all the praise for finishing a temple wanted by his predecessor. But it sounds a bit too much romantic. Anyway, in our day, it's still very beautiful, and its hugeness can charm you while you're walking there.
Before leaving the place, I decided to rest some time and to feel the quiet there while watching its top. So, I lay on one of the walls on the higher terrace, and relaxed there. You can see me in the fourth picture. It was really hot, and I felt the need to spend some time to rest, but the stones were much too hot, and after short while I poured half a bottle of water over myself, and I started to move again. On my way back, I stopped at the local people that had a fresh market and I bought some water and food, before continuing my tour through these very majestic monuments.
Ta Prohm - The royal monastery
One of the most famous monuments of all the Angkor park is just near to the Ta Keo tower. Once you leave Ta Keo, you follow a street that first goes to the east and after it turns to the south. Following this street, soon, you'll meet on your way a citadel called Ta Prohm. When somebody looks for information about Angkor, both on internet and in tourist guide-books, they surely find pictures of Angkor Wat, the Bayon Temple and also of Ta Prohm. The reason for the fame of this place, is its unique look. In fact, a long time ago, when the archaeologists started to restore all the temples, they decided to leave some behind as there was not much to be saved, and one of the "good ones" was left without being restored, just to let the people see how the monuments were found by the archaeologists. Soon this place, became really famous. The symbiosis of the buildings with the trees, with the first that keep the second up, and the second that doesn't let the first fall down in pieces is very moving. The heavy roots of the silk-cotton trees (Ceiba Pentandra) and strangling fig (Ficus Gibbosa), hold tight the walls of the buildings, and now the buildings couldn't stay up anymore without the help of the trees.
The citadel has two entrances, one on its eastern wall and the second in the western wall. So people can tell their driver to leave them on one side and wait for them on the opposite one. When you enter from the west side, you first have to walk a bit in the forest and cross some bridges over a swamp. If you look carefully in the water, you can see some stones from the walls in it. Then you reach the first wall, you cross it, and you find yourself into this truly unbelievable place. This citadel was built by Jayavarman VII, the same king that built the Bayon Temple, and he dedicated this place to his mother. The king Jayavarman VII at the end of the work placed here a statue of Prajnaparamita the Goddesses of the Transcendental Knowledge shaped like the King's mother (five years later he also placed in another citadel called Preah Khan, a statue of Lokesvara with the shape of the King's father). I suppose (I'm not a scholar, so don't take my theory seriously) that the name "Ta Prohm" could come from a contraction of "Ta Prajnaparamita", so it could be "Ancestor Prajnaparamita". But this is just what I think. This thought came to me after hearing the Khmers read aloud the name of some places that I wrote down, and I heard that these names sounded really contracted. But this is just a nonsense that only somebody that is not a scholar, like me, can say. …..Coming back to the temple, the visit takes quite a long time, in fact, the place is always crowded and is not easy to visit. While inside, people are advised to walk on special paths in order to not let them go in dangerous spots, moreover, the site is very complex to be walked around. Sometimes, you feel it's a bit claustrophobic, and then, all of a sudden, you find yourself in some open space. So, my advice is to go there in the early morning, just to enjoy the place with the least people possible. In fact, to take some of these pictures, I had to wait long time for the tourists before me to go away. This place feels magical, with this beautiful mix of man-made and nature-made wonder. Some movies have also been shot here, as it's a perfect background for adventure movies. I liked this place so much, and I still have good memories about it. I suggest to everybody that wants to go to Kampuchea, to not miss this place, as it's absolutely great.
The citadel has two entrances, one on its eastern wall and the second in the western wall. So people can tell their driver to leave them on one side and wait for them on the opposite one. When you enter from the west side, you first have to walk a bit in the forest and cross some bridges over a swamp. If you look carefully in the water, you can see some stones from the walls in it. Then you reach the first wall, you cross it, and you find yourself into this truly unbelievable place. This citadel was built by Jayavarman VII, the same king that built the Bayon Temple, and he dedicated this place to his mother. The king Jayavarman VII at the end of the work placed here a statue of Prajnaparamita the Goddesses of the Transcendental Knowledge shaped like the King's mother (five years later he also placed in another citadel called Preah Khan, a statue of Lokesvara with the shape of the King's father). I suppose (I'm not a scholar, so don't take my theory seriously) that the name "Ta Prohm" could come from a contraction of "Ta Prajnaparamita", so it could be "Ancestor Prajnaparamita". But this is just what I think. This thought came to me after hearing the Khmers read aloud the name of some places that I wrote down, and I heard that these names sounded really contracted. But this is just a nonsense that only somebody that is not a scholar, like me, can say. …..Coming back to the temple, the visit takes quite a long time, in fact, the place is always crowded and is not easy to visit. While inside, people are advised to walk on special paths in order to not let them go in dangerous spots, moreover, the site is very complex to be walked around. Sometimes, you feel it's a bit claustrophobic, and then, all of a sudden, you find yourself in some open space. So, my advice is to go there in the early morning, just to enjoy the place with the least people possible. In fact, to take some of these pictures, I had to wait long time for the tourists before me to go away. This place feels magical, with this beautiful mix of man-made and nature-made wonder. Some movies have also been shot here, as it's a perfect background for adventure movies. I liked this place so much, and I still have good memories about it. I suggest to everybody that wants to go to Kampuchea, to not miss this place, as it's absolutely great.