53) CAMBODIA: in pictures: Angkor Temples (Part I)

“Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. The largest and best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre—first Hindu, then Buddhist—since its foundation. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temples. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the gods in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 km (2.2 miles) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. As well as for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, the temple is admired for its extensive bas-reliefs and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.
According to Guinness World Records, it is the largest religious structure in the world.”
-wikipedia.org

This was one of the places I really wanted to see while visiting Cambodia. It is an impressive site to behold. Most temples had intricate carvings covering everything but the ground you walked on. The carvings were absolutely beautiful, and a perfect compliment to the beautiful architecture.
The only problem about this place is how touristy it was. Oddly enough hordes of Korean tourists flooded this place by bus every day. Sometimes the overwhelming amount of people wrecked the vibe of the ancient beauty of this place. But at other times the crowds could be avoided entirely. Early one morning just after sunrise I went to a less popular temple in the area, and had the place nearly to myself.