The Temples of Cambodia

By Chris Wildgen, McMaster Alumna, travel writer, photographer and tour leader.

It says a lot about a country that it’s national symbol, which also appears on its money, is a temple — Angkor Wat. And it says a lot about the temple that it was selected.

Now preparing for my second visit in autumn, I draw on my memories and experiences from the first, remembering the significance of Angkor Wat and the other temples in the Khmer history and civilization and still in present day Cambodia.

On my first visit, I learned that I wasn’t just visiting Angkor Wat, I was visiting the Angkor Archeological Park. And even though I had read that the park covers 156 square miles, I was not prepared for the amount of walking and the distances. The park includes temple complexes from succeeding Khmer capitals. Over 4 days, I did the grand circuit and visited the last two and their temples of Angkor Wat and Bayon of Angkor Thom. Also on the grand circuit were Preah Khan temple and the Neak Pean island complex.

Having made the mistake of not hiring a guide the first time, I will definitely hire one for the next. And I will also visit the museum in Siem Reap to familiarize myself with its architecture, history, symbology and Khmer art. The more that I can identify detail and aspects of Hinduism and Buddhism and of the Khmer empire on my own, the more I gain from the information from the guide. I look forward to a guide narrating the bas relief story on even just one wall!

And I look forward to revisiting these highlights with a guide:

• Angkor Wat, (“the city temple”) is the emblem of Cambodia. It is famous for the precision of its building and for its Khmer art, particularly the 1,780 Apsara carvings, the heavenly female sculptures for which Khmer art is famous. That many, individually rendered, appear in small groups is a first for Khmer art. The bas reliefs, on the exterior walls depicting historical and Hindu mythology scenes, are considered some of the finest examples of Khmer art.
• Bayon is the imposing state temple in the center of the city of Angkor Thom, the last Khmer capital, when it was home to 1 million people! It is famous for the carvings of the smiling “stone faces” of Buddha on its 54 towers. It, too, has bas-reliefs of epic battles.
• Preah Khan has a feature that is unique to Khmer architecture — a two-story structure with cylindrical columns, said to have housed the sacred sword, for which it is named. It was built and dedicated to compassion and wisdom by Jayavarman VII when he established Mahayana Buddhism as the state religion. Today it is considered to be “a powerful site for Cambodians to seek inner peace”. For me, it was unique as it appeared to be reclaimed by the jungle, with the tree roots tumbling over buildings, and the very loud jungle sounds.
• Neak Pean, known as the sacred island, has a different layout from other Khmer architecture. It’s believed that its water clears “away the sins of those who approach it.”

Though all Buddhist now, and even though buildings may have been plundered or appear to be crumbling, some are still living temples and are visited by Hindus and Buddhists for religious purposes. There are altars for making offerings or donations where one can sit quietly to meditate, pray, or have a quiet pause from walking around in the heat. I particularly appreciated doing this, participating as people have done for almost 1,000 years.

And like last time, I will be in the park for both sunrise and sunset at Angkor Wat. From the mirror pool, the sun can appear to rise from the temple. Following sunrise, many people return to their hotels, making the park quiet and calm for a wander without crowds for an hour or two. Sunset lights up the front of the temple. Both are beautiful but sunset impacted me more. Sitting up high and watching the sun set over the jungle, I felt a sense of peace and timelessness.

A few hints and reminders:

Carry water as it is hot and dusty.

Wear good shoes to be able to climb the steps, some of which are narrow, uneven, crumbly and without handrails.

Since these are religious sites of worship, clothing must cover shoulders and knees. And behavior should be respectful — quiet, calm and particularly if someone is at an altar praying or making an offering, silent.

After an international career in sports medicine and sales and marketing, McMaster graduate Chris Wildgen is following her dream of connecting with people and diving into local cultures around the world through travel. Now a digital nomad, Chris is a travel writer, photographer and tour leader. With a natural flair for languages, she can converse in German, French, Italian, Spanish and English. Visit her site www.travelbetterlivebetter.com.

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