Cambodia: the lost city. Lost city in cambodia Cambodia lost city
A sensational discovery was made by a group of archaeologists in Cambodia - a lost city with a thousand-year history was discovered in the impenetrable jungle, the search for which was conducted for more than a dozen years. Modern technology came to the aid of scientists: the area was scanned from the air with a special device.
Archaeologists can't find the words! The ancient city that disappeared into the wilds of the rainforest was previously known only from legends. Mahendraparvata, or "Mountain of the great god Indra", - this name has been conveyed to this day by an inscription on one of the religious buildings 40 kilometers from this place.
"This is definitely the ruins of the temple. Only the sacred buildings were made of stone. This is the pedestal on which the statue of the temple stood. All this was in the center of the city," says expedition leader Damian Evans.
After the first stone foundation, find follows find. Mysterious sanctuaries that stood for centuries, skillful stone carving, a developed network of roads, many canals, dams and ponds to supply water to residents and their crops.
"If you look at the vegetation around me, it will resemble a rice field. But if you look at the perspective, this is nothing but the territory of the temple. Nobody knew about its existence for hundreds of years. Everything that is inside has been there for a thousand years ago," says Damian Evans.
Scientists call the date of foundation of Mahendraparvata the 802nd year of your era. The year the Khmer Empire was founded. It was in these places, as the legend says, that its first ruler received a blessing for the kingdom. For a long time, the city of Angkorwat was considered the capital of his state; in its heyday, about a million people lived in it. Scientists are sure that now he will definitely share his fame with Mahendraparvata.
"Interestingly, the found city is exactly the same as Angkor. But we managed to establish that it was built much earlier than it, by about 350 years. And, apparently, we approached its outskirts. So far we have been able to map the city approximately 30 square kilometers, and that's not all," says archaeologist Jean-Baptiste Chevans.
The discovery of the international expedition of Damian Evans and Jean-Baptiste Chevans can be compared with the discovery of the legendary Troy. True, in this case, not without the help of modern technology. The search area was explored from the air for a whole week. A three-dimensional plan of the sacred mountain was compiled by archaeologists with a laser scanner - lidar. He also discovered the ruins of 30 temples.
“Before, it would have taken us more than one year to map all this. Now we need to describe everything we saw and continue working, since the city turned out to be much larger than we expected,” says Damina Evans.
Scientists have been going to Mahendraparvata for 13 long years, overcoming kilometers of tropical jungle, swamps and the legacy of a bygone era - minefields left over from a long civil war. The reasons for the decline and desolation of the city are allegedly called uncontrolled deforestation, because of which the canals began to dry up and the productivity of the fields fell.
A sensational discovery was made by a group of archaeologists in Cambodia - an ancient lost city was discovered in the impenetrable jungle, which was searched for more than a dozen years. 
The exact location of the city, until recently, was hidden from the general public, thanks, among other things, to the inaccessible terrain covered with minefields and swamps, as well as hidden in dense forests, hostile settlements of Khmer ethnic minorities: tribes far from civilization and professing animism. 
Not so long ago, I came across a lidar survey map of part of Phnom Kulen Mountain. There was fragmentary information and coordinates of one of the objects ancient city Mahendraparvata, located just 27 km from Wat Phrea Ang Thom, on Mount Kulen. 
Using the scarce information about the location of the ancient city, we deciphered the map and, superimposing it on the GPS, planned a walking trek along the excavation route. In this article you can see the results of our walking expedition to the area of the ancient city of Mahendraparvata, carried out on February 23 and 24, 2016. We set out along the route early in the morning. The entire area around the ancient city is overgrown with impenetrable rainforest. 
In the forest there are paths blazed by poachers who extract valuable tree species, as well as by sappers who clear mines in some areas. 
Plateau Kulen d about recent times was a stronghold of the Khmer Rouge and became available to archaeologists only in the 1990s. You can read about the history of the Khmer Rouge in the article 
There is currently no way to visit the excavation area by car. 
Paths in the forest give way to swampy areas and thickets of yellowed grass, in which there is a full range of venomous snakes living in this region. 
Pedestrian trekking along the route is complicated by clearing the area and careful tracking of reptiles. We chose not to think about mines, relying on the fact that archaeologists, as well as activists from the demining group, had gone this way before us. 
The first 25 kilometers we did not meet a single living soul along the route. Only giant silent trees hiding centuries-old secrets of ancient civilizations. 
Suddenly, a clearing opened up to us with a characteristic mark of the ubiquitous Apsara fund, from which we concluded that we were already close to the first object: 
The main secret is in discovery ancient cities in Cambodia is that on the territory of the Kulen Plateau, as in the main part of the country, the terrain is exceptionally flat, and any mound or unevenness on the earth's surface is nothing but archaeological site, covered with sediment of sand and withered foliage. 
Excavations of an ancient city in Cambodia
Any such irregularities indicate the presence of a human settlement.
Intuition did not deceive us, and now, a clearing with the first archaeological objects opened up to our eyes:
There were five rectangular prasats (brick towers) in the clearing, of which only one has survived:
Inside the towers and in the area around, we found these artifacts
By the similarity in size, these two elements resemble a certain installation with a lid.
with characteristic high-tech processing.
The purpose of these objects is not entirely clear, as well as the reason why such elaborate and difficult doorways were installed in simple brick structures.
After a thorough inspection of the nearby area, we found three more dilapidated complexes, consisting of similar brick towers, on a laterite platform.
In each of them was a stone artifact unlike the others. It could be ancient wells, water purification systems or something else.
These structures have long since disappeared into the jungle, leaving only traces of mounds and depressions that are easy to see among the trees and overgrowth, and which are hidden by the moss-covered ruins of the temple.
The mounds are several meters in diameter and to the untrained eye look like ordinary natural hills. However, archaeologists know that they mean much more.
Scientists suggest that the population the ancient city of Mahendraparvata died out due to lack of water - land resources were exhausted and not restored, and people had to leave in search of territories conducive to the prosperity of life.
Moreover, the mystery is the mysterious objects of the ancient city that have stood for centuries, the unique, technologically skillful stone carving, and unparalleled engineering structures, intended use which have not yet been unraveled.
You can read about the intended purpose of some artifacts in the article:
The most interesting objects were found 6 kilometers to the north:
Archaeological maps assure that this is nothing more than a quarry in which stone was mined for the construction of Angkor.
On the lava that has frozen thousands of years ago, artificial recesses and perfectly even cuts are clearly visible:
From the stone mined in these quarries, the gigantic structures of ancient Angkor were built.
A laterite pyramid rises in the center of a kilometer-long area, lined with cut lines and rectangular trenches.
The pyramid is crowned with a destroyed brick prasat, inside which, nevertheless, another mysterious installation has been preserved:
Let me lay out some historical versions of what it is:
Archaeologists are sure that this building is called
Yoni
(ancient Ind. yoni, “source”), in ancient Indian mythology and various currents of Hinduism, a symbol of the divine generating force. Cult yoni seems to date back to the earliest period of Indian history.
Within Indian culture, worship yoni most clearly seen in the mythology and rituals of Shaivism and related sects, where yoni revered in conjunction with the corresponding male symbol - linga(creativity) as a natural energy that contributes to its manifestation, as well as a way to obtain "sacred" healing water.
The water that falls on the top of the Linga and flows into the Yoni is considered sacred and endowed with healing properties.
All found Yonis have this perfect treatment
Enough interesting fact is the presence under each "Yoni" mine, going vertically underground. In some natural depressions, you can see mines covered with sand and compressed leaves. 
In these photos you can see, perhaps the last of the untouched mines, which we cleared a little of the cultural layer. 
Some information from the press about the discovery and research in the area of the ancient city of Mahendraparvata:
The ancient city of Mahendraparvata, which disappeared in the wilds of the tropical forest, was previously known only from legends.
Mahendraparvata, or "Mountain of the Great God Indra", - this name has been conveyed to this day by an inscription on one of the ancient temples, discovered 40 kilometers from this place. In 2013, in the jungles of Cambodia, Australian archaeologists using the Lidar laser system discovered an ancient lost city. 
Ancient city in Cambodia, lost 1200 years ago on a misty mountainside, archaeologists have tried to find it repeatedly. So, in 1936, the expedition of the French archaeologist and art critic Philippe Stern explored the Kulen plateau. He discovered previously unknown temples and statues of Vishnu and described the area as the first mountain temple complex. But only an expedition of scientists from the University of Sydney finally managed to find the ancient city itself. 
The organization of the study was supported by the Cambodian government APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap), which is responsible for the protection of the archaeological sites of Angkor and the entire province of Siem Reap. 
archaeological expedition, the purpose of which was to find Mahendraparvata city, were led by Damian Evans of the University of Sydney and Jean-Baptiste Chevans of the Archeology and Development Foundation (London). The team presented preliminary results in June 2013. An important feature of the expedition was the use of the Lidar device attached to the helicopter to scan the Kulen area and then mark the city on the map. The results of the first land expedition of a group of Australian archaeologists are mentioned in the article: 
The survey of the territory with the help of "lidar" is the frequent emission of signals from the generator and the measurement of the time of their return. The slightest change in time is instantly calculated by the system. 
Later, 30 more previously unknown temples were discovered using Lidar technology. “Suddenly, a whole city appeared before us, the existence of which no one suspected. The impression cannot be expressed in words,- says Evans, not hiding his amazement. 
In addition, scientists have discovered a complex network of roads, dams and ponds that formed the infrastructure of the city. While scanning the area, the laser radar also found numerous hills scattered throughout the city. 
According to the preliminary assumption of archaeologists, these are temple and burial mounds. “What we saw is similar to the central part of the city. There is still a lot of work ahead, we need to learn more about this civilization.- said the leader of the expedition. 
discovered ancient city of Mahendraparvata historians refer to the era of the Khmer Empire in Cambodia. The name Mahendraparvata, meaning "Mountain of the great Indra", was first discovered by scientists in the inscriptions on the temple of Ak Yum in the Angkor region. The period of the foundation of the city refers to the reign of Jayavarman II, who is considered the founder of the Khmer empire. During excavations of an ancient city in Cambodia, scientists came to the conclusion that the city he founded was one of the three capitals of the empire, among which were also Amarendrapura and Hariharalaya. According to Dr. Evans, the decline of civilization could be due to deforestation and problems with water supply. The expedition team dated the founding of Mahendraparvata to 802 AD. Thus, the city was founded before the famous Angkor Wat by about 350 years. Recall that Angkor Wat is a giant Hindu temple complex in Cambodia, dedicated to the god Vishnu. It is one of the largest places of worship ever built and one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. You can read more about the history of Angkor Wat in the article: Thus, thanks to modern technology, today scientists have managed to unravel the mystery of the history of the Khmer Empire. However, despite the significance of the discovery, the most important finds are probably still ahead of archaeologists. 
The main goal of our mission was achieved - this is an indisputable proof of the existence of a long-destroyed the ancient city of Mahendraparvata which each of you can see and touch with your own hands. 
In the bed of a dried up river, you can see the so-called cultural layer, in which fragments of ceramics and other artifacts stand out. 
These findings will help shed light on the history of human civilization.
By special order, we carry out trekking walking tours to the excavations of the ancient city of Mahendraparvata, as well as one-day excursions on motorcycles with a driver, as part of individual tours:
Miracle of the world. Angkor city forgotten in the jungle (video)
Continuation. Start: 1. Pattaya - Aran. 2. Aran-Siem Reap.
Having agreed with the tuk-tuk driver in the evening, in the morning we went to explore the greatest miracle of the world and the pride of the Khmer civilization, the temple complex of Angkor, a city forgotten in the jungle. This is a giant Hindu temple complex in Cambodia. It is one of the largest religious buildings ever built and one of the world's most important archeological monuments. Built in the 9th to 12th centuries. For 4 centuries, different monarchs each built their own temple or terrace or completed the previous ones in connection with a change in the cult.
The tuker arrived for us exactly as agreed at 9-00. Later, I concluded for myself that I had to leave for Angkor early, from 6-30 to 7-30, but I didn’t want to get up so early after the previous busy day. We explained to the driver that we were going to have breakfast and then to Angkor. In general, I concluded that if you ask a tuker to show you a hotel or a place where you can have a bite, or just tell him to stop by to buy water on the way, he will only take you to his relatives and friends, or those places where he is at least 10 cents of commissions will fall, completely without reflecting your wishes and interests. If you want to save money, then you yourself must clearly understand where to go. Here is a simple example. I asked him to stop somewhere on the way to Angkor, buy a couple of bottles of water with me. He passed all the shops along the way, then turned off somewhere, into pickles, wandered among the huts and stopped at a vendor on the street, where I was offered to buy water at $1 for a 1.5 liter bottle. Yesterday I bought this water at the store he passed by for 60 cents. And you can take it from shopkeepers for 50. I categorically stated that the price was too high and named the price of the market. The carrier swallowed, but did not argue. Since neither I nor the seller probably have a small dollar coin and did not want to waste a lot of time on water, I offered $ 1.5 for two bottles and a deal. Keep in mind, here you will be bred for every cent. By the way, I received change from two dollars in local Riels. The rough exchange rate is 4000 reaels for 1 dollar, in official places up to 4100. Be careful - they don’t want to take torn and tortured dollars, but they give change.
Finally, we advanced to the mysterious and mysterious, covered with the dust of time and the lianas of the jungle, the majestic architectural monument of ancient civilizations, the temple complex of Angkor.
The best way to start your trip early followed by a break for lunch. Return to the hotel, relax in the pool, and closer to 15 hours, repeat the conquest of the temples. By 18:00, choose the top point of one of the temples to watch the sunset. In these places, sunset always occurs at the same time, around 18-30. As I understand it, on the territory of the complex it is problematic with normal nutrition. And if you decide not to return, take food with you, everything will be much more expensive here. Also, there is never too much water. Even if you take a significant supply, you are unlikely to stay on the way back.
To meet the dawn, it is worth visiting the remote Banteay Srei, Koh Ke or the nearby Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm. Sunsets are best seen at Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakeng, Pre Rup, East Mebon and Ta Keo. Sitting on a stone heated during the day by the sun's rays, imagine how the people who built them a thousand years ago met the sunset, hear the voice ancient civilization, the noise of battles.
The main thing is not to forget to fully charge the batteries of photographic equipment and free up space on flash cards.))) Alcoholic drinks are not recommended, the sun and heat will do their job and disable them, and when examining these stairs, skill is needed. Therefore, in any case, it is better to put all things and equipment in a backpack when ascending and descending. The stairs of the temples are very steep, the steps are narrow, at this time the hands should be free for safety net. When visiting Phnom Kulen, Kbal Spina, Banteay Chma, and Koh Ke, look out for signs along the roads and trails that say “Danger! Mines". Not all territories are cleared here, so it is better to take a conductor or guide.
Ancient Angkor is a city forgotten in the jungle, located almost 6 km north of the modern settlement of Siem Reap. Separate temples are several kilometers apart from each other, and the whole complex occupies more than 200 sq. km. That's why on foot you won’t walk, but many dare to ride bicycles (you can rent it in some guest houses), but for this you need to study the map well. And keep in mind that it is 12 km to Siem Reap and back, and you will wind at least 8 km around the complex, plus on foot, are you ready for such a marathon?
Entrance to the temple complex is allowed from 5.30 am to 5.30 pm local time, the box office is open from 5.00 am, and from 5.00 pm you can buy a ticket for the next day and enjoy the sunset in any temple for free on the current day.
Our tuk-tuk driver took us to the ticket office. Price ticket for 1 day visits to any temples of Angkor $ 20 per person, children under 12 years old are free. The price for a 3-day ticket is $40, and for a week of studies $60. Moreover, now there is an indulgence ticket for 3 days can be used during the week, the days may not go in a row if you are waiting for good weather or decide to relax. A ticket for 7 days can be used for 1 month. Beware - torn, soaked, lost tickets lead to the purchase of a new one, and being on the territory without a ticket leads to a $100 fine.
The cashier takes a picture of you and issues a ticket with your photo, at the entrance to each temple the ticket is checked - they look at the date and photo. If you would like to receive a ticket with your beautiful photo in good quality- you can bring your own size like a passport and it will be applied to the ticket (they laminate only for $ 60). Try not to be at the box office at 7.20-8.00 - this is the peak time when tourists are brought in from Korea, Japan and China. A lot of them. So many. And all of them without prepared photos, respectively, the procedure is delayed and you can enjoy the queue for a ticket to Angkor, the wonder of the world, for quite a long time. We are not such early birds, we left the hotel at 9.00 - there was no queue at the box office, we got tickets in 5 minutes.
Again we go to our tuk-tuk, on the map we agree with the driver what we want to see for today and which route we will move on. On a standard map of Siem Reap for tourists on reverse side a diagram of Angkor is given, where the large and small circles are indicated. By and large, you can slowly move within 3 days. Within 1 day it is possible to catch only a small circle.
There are usually three main itineraries to visit.
One day.
If you have one day to visit the temples of the great Khmer civilization, you will have to get up before sunrise and drive to Angkor Wat. Near the temple, without entering it central territories, meet the dawn and immediately go to Bayon, stopping at the southern gate of Angkor Thom along the way. After visiting Bayon, you can see Bapuon, Pimeanakas, the terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King. If you have finished before lunch, then you can have time to drop into Pre Can and its long suite of rooms. The second part of the journey will pass through the Angkor Thom Victory Gate and Ta Koe Temple. Next - Ta Prohm, lost in the jungle, and at the end of the trip, go from the opposite, eastern side of Angkor Wat. Walk through the entire temple (about 2.5 km), climb to the central platform with towers, see galleries with carved bas-reliefs. If you have time before sunset, climb Phnom Bakheng and see how the most famous temple Cambodia.
Two days.
A two-day itinerary is preferable. Based on the itinerary of one day, you get more time to explore the temples on the first day. Start the morning of the second day in Banteay Srey (37 km from Siem Reap), and on the way back visit Ta Som, Nick Ping and Pre Can.
Three days or more.
With such a margin of time, you become the master of the temples, there is a unique opportunity to choose three options for inspection. First: You are using the two-day option tour, just combine a trip to Bentei Srey with a visit to the sacred mountain of Phnom Kulen with waterfalls and the Thousand Lingam stream. In the following days, you capture Roluos, and also visit Tonle Span Lake with water villages. In the remaining time, revisit the places you like.
Second option. Slow, gradual inspection of the temples day after day, one after the other.
Third option. Inspection of the monuments of Khmer architecture in chronological order by the time of construction. 1. Day - Roluos, Koh Ke, Bentey Srei (before Koh Ke you can stop by Ben Melia). Day 2 - Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Ta Keo, Angkor Thom (Terraces, Bapuon, Pimeanakas, Bayon). Day 3 - Anchor Thom Gate again Bayon, Pre Can, Nick Pin and after lunch Tonle Sap.
The last two options are interesting in that you seem to be immersed in the atmosphere of an ancient civilization, you start to live and think like local residents, at the same time, at any moment you can turn off the chosen route and lay your own, unknown until now.
We decided to see first Prasat Kravan, Ta Prohm, Bayon, Baipon and, in the evening, Angkor Wat, with a break for lunch.
Prasat Kravan- look at the beginning. Interesting, but if you are not an orientalist, after Ta Proma or Bayon you will not be impressed. There are many bas-reliefs here. Only 5 prasats standing in one line, entrances from the east side. If you stand 1-2m from the central tall building and look up - an incredible illusion is created that prasat is falling on you.
Built in 921, it is unique in that the bas-reliefs are carved directly into the brickwork. On the bas-reliefs you can see Vishnu, either riding Garuda, or with indispensable attributes in his hands: a lotus, a mace, a chakra and a shell. We spent about half an hour here. It is better to visit in the morning, then the lighting is more interesting.
Ta Prom- here the tuker will have time to rest properly, you will not leave this amazing place quickly. When we drove up - several groups of barangs came out to meet us (in Tae farangs, here barangs are all people of non-Asian appearance) completely stunned - we asked the tuker "What's wrong with them?" - he replied: this is normal, everyone goes out like that, you just see the temples of our Gods - he proudly declared.
And right. A temple built in 1196 by King Jayavarman VII in honor of his mother, whom he identified with the Goddess of Wisdom. Conceived as a monastery and university, the temple consisted of 39 prasats and more than 800 brick and stone structures. Left at the mercy of the jungle in the 15th century, after the fall of the Khmer empire, it began to look even more bewitching. Trees sprouted through the walls and wrapped around the top of the buildings - such a landscape was ideal for filming films about the tomb raider, the locals call this place - Angelina Jolie. In the 20th century, a program to restore the temples of Angkor began, and then they opened Ta Prohm among the jungle.
They decided to only strengthen and support it a little, but on the whole leave it in the form it was found by the researchers - now we can see in it how nature takes over everything.
We take a few photos. Here it is especially not easy - a lot of people, especially the Chinese. They are everywhere. They strive to take pictures everywhere, they generally have some kind of photo cult. They film everything. In general, everything. In the most interesting places, especially near the temples overgrown with trees, people line up for a good shot. The Chinese run in without a queue and break the entire exposition.
Here, too, amazing bas-reliefs are everywhere.
Further bayon. The famous gem of Angkor Thom. It is better to drive straight to Bayonne, because. from the gate of Angkor Thom, it is located about 1.5 km. The best time to visit is early morning - there are fewer tourists and the dawn beautifully illuminates the towers. Or at sunset, it's also beautiful, but there are a lot of tourists.
There are about fifty towers in the temple, on which there are 200 huge faces.
The faces on the four sides of the tower speak of the omnipresence of the Buddha, whose prototype was the founder of this temple, King Jayavarman VII, who identified himself with God.
It is said that at different times of the day, faces have different expressions from kind and peaceful to angry and terrifying.
Restoration of the lost parts of faces has not yet yielded results, tk. there is no technology for such precise stone turning as during the construction of these temples! None of all the world's experts without concreting, cementing, etc. did not figure out how to fasten these huge cobblestones. The photo shows that the left, restored part of the face breaks the symmetry. In contrast to the unrestored faces with the complete identity of the left and right sides, which surprises scientists.
This is simply incredible, with our development of civilization, science and technology, with the presence of laser technology. What other technologies have not been mastered by modern homo sapiens in order to catch up with the knowledge of the 11th-12th centuries.
Amazed, we spent about 2 hours here. Went up to levels 2 and 3. We saw guardian monks.
The little son greeted the giants with pleasure.
From here we decided to go to dinner. I explained to the driver that it was time to go to the hotel, and then we would return to Angkor Wat and continue sightseeing. Then I didn’t think at all that this would cause a discussion with the tuker in the future and be a reason for begging for money. We returned to our guesthouse, ate, and rested in the pool. As it turned out, a lot of young people from different countries Europe and in the afternoon almost everyone fell out to relax in the pool, so the tank was full, but it was fun enough. Although the temperature of the heated water tended to body temperature))).
At 15-00, a tuker drove in, we moved on to continue the inspection. He drove to Angkor Wat and said: everyone, you wanted to come back here after dinner, please. For lunch, we left Angkor Thom, which is a couple of kilometers further, and planned to return there. I began to explain to him that we had interrupted the tour elsewhere and wanted to return there. He parried, you said Angkor, here he is, and Angkor Thom is further away and, like, you have to pay extra for gasoline. I was starting to get annoyed with this arrogance. Yesterday the price was agreed for the whole day with a break for lunch at the hotel. I explained to the tuker that he was very upsetting my disposition towards him, and I would be ready to pay only 10 dollars out of 15 for spoiling the mood and the excursion. Realizing that money cannot be squeezed out, but you can also lose it, the tuker moved on with a frustrated look. He was unlucky with travelers from Russia, where you sit on us and get off.)))
inspected Bauphon.
There are several restrictions when visiting this temple, children under 12 years old are not allowed, etc.
The temple was built as a five-stage pyramid of three tiers. This is a temple-mountain, personifying the sacred mountain Meru. During its heyday, the dome of the temple was covered with copper plates.
Bapuon was built by King Udayadityavarman II (Udayadityavarman II), who ruled from 1050 to 1066, and was the center of the former capital - the city of Yashodharapura. Restoration work has been going on for more than half a century, the temple looks dilapidated and not all places are open to the public.
The temple is located 200 meters northwest of Bayon, south of the Royal Palace and about 10 kilometers from the center of Siem Reap. Usually, it becomes the next object for inspection after Bayon. You can spend no more than half an hour here. If you don't have much time to see all the sights of Angkor Thom, then Bapuon might be worth skipping. There are few people here due to ongoing work.
Despite the foregoing, from the platform of the central tower (third tier) a panoramic view of the surrounding area opens up, in particular, the towers of Phnom Bakeng are visible from the south side, and Pimeanakas from the north. For good photos, it is better to choose the first half of the day or sunset.
Looked into Pimeanakas.
This so-called "heavenly temple" has no bas-reliefs.
Dedicated to Hinduism, built inX-XI centuries under Rajendravarman II (ruled 944-968), after restructuring under the reign of Suryavarman I (ruled 1002-1049) served as a temple at the royal palace. At the beginning of the 20th century restoration work began on cleaning the temple, some stairs were supplemented with wooden ones for ease of viewing.
There is a nice little pond nearby.
Nearby are two more small, not so popular Temples, which are why they are less trampled by tourists. Preah Pitu And Prasat sur Prat.
Inside the bas-reliefs, so clear, symmetrical and all different.
It's dangerous to enter, but soooo interesting.
Despite the clearing that has been going on for more than half a century, the jungle is advancing.
Surrounded by greenery, the buildings look exotic and bewitching.
The twelve towers of Prasat sur Prat served as a kind of court. One of the disputants sat on one tower, the second on another. Whoever gets sick first - he was wrong in the dispute. Such is the judgment of heaven. Yeah, under the local sun, it's no wonder both sides of the lawsuit will blister in a few days.
Moved to Ta Keo outside of Angkor Thom.
Temple mountain. Built as the center of the new capital Jaendranagari.
Ta Keo began to be erected under Jayavarman V, but was never completed.
Built of sandstone with a jeweler's precision of fitted blocks, it is oriented to the East and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
To visit no more than half an hour, better in the first half.
For dessert left the most famousangkor wat.
This is the symbol of Cambodia, it is depicted on the national flag.
It is considered one of the largest human settlements of the pre-industrial era.
I was struck by the abundance of tourists at the entrance. The hope of seeing a majestic and secluded place quickly melted away. Crowds of tourists scurried back and forth, as if on the main street of the city at rush hour. Such fuss does not at all encourage one to think about the connection of times, about the spiritual meaning of being and about the greatness of ancient architects. What to do, apparently the time for solitude in this great place has been lost and the ruthless feet of mass tourism, barbarously erase the stone pavements of the great temples to the ground.
I can advise you not to buy anything at the entrance to Angkor Wat. Prices here are three times more than you can find going deep into the temple. For example, one brisk young man offered me a guide to Cambodia in Russian for $25. I saw the same ones in the shops near the temple already for 10. The calculation is simple - tourists, not having time to adapt to local economic conditions and, in anticipation of meeting with a piece of great history, cannot adequately assess the price level. For a tourist, in principle, 25 dollars is not that much money, but the reality is that here it is a huge capital.
Angkor Wat, originally dedicated to the god Vishnu, from the point of view of architecture combines the typology of the Hindu temple-mountain, representing the mythical Mount Meru - the abode of the gods
and a typology of galleries characteristic of the architecture of later periods.
The stones that make up the structure are extremely smooth, almost like polished marble.
Surprisingly, without mortar, the stones are so tightly fitted to each other that the seams between them are sometimes impossible to find. stone blocks sometimes they do not have any connections and are held only by their own weight.
Modern estimates were made, according to which it turned out that the construction of only one temple of Angkor Wat in our time would take more than one hundred years. However, Angkor Wat was begun shortly after Suryavarman II's accession to the throne, and completed shortly after his death, that is, no more than 40 years later.
The temple consists of three concentric rectangular structures, the height of which increases towards the center, surrounded by a wall 1.5x1.3 km along the perimeter and a moat with water, the length of which is 3.6 km. The inner structure contains five lotus-shaped towers. The 65m high central tower is very impressive. The total area of Angkor Wat is 200 hectares. On its territory there are such small buildings.
In the 15th century, it ceased to be used and was abandoned. Opened to European civilization in 1860.
One of the first Western visitors to the temple was António da Madalena (Portuguese monk), who visited it in 1586, he described what he saw as follows: “this is such an unusual structure that it is impossible to describe it with a pen, especially since it does not look like any other building in the world. It has towers and ornaments and every subtlety that human genius can imagine."
Khmer temples were not a meeting place for believers, but served as the dwelling place of the gods, and access to their central buildings was open exclusively to representatives of the religious and political elite. Angkor Wat is distinguished by the fact that it was also intended for the burial of kings.
The architecture of Angkor Wat is organically combined with its sculptural design. Bas-reliefs on the themes of Hindu mythology, the ancient Indian epics "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata", as well as on the theme of Khmer history are placed on three tiers of the bypass galleries of the temple.
The most noteworthy are 8 huge panels on the first tier with the compositions “Churning the Milky Ocean” (churning the milky ocean with a mountain to get the divine drink of immortality and gaining power over the universe), “The Battle of Kurukshetra” and others, the total area of which is 1200 m 2. The walls of the second tier are decorated with about 2000 figures of celestial maidens - apsaras. By and large, all surfaces, columns, lintels and even roofs are covered with carvings.
The outer wall of 4.5 meters is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide.
The passage to the temple is carried out along an earthen embankment from the east, and from the west along the crest of a sandstone dam. The entrance from the west is the main entrance, and perhaps in the past there was a wooden bridge instead of a dam. Each of the cardinal directions has its own gorupa (a gate tower that serves as an entrance to the temple complex). Accordingly, the western group is the largest, it consists of three, now destroyed, towers.
Most of the space is now covered with forest. The western group with the temple is connected by a 350-meter stone road (platform) with a balustrade in the form of Naga figures. The road has six exits to the city on each side. A cruciform terrace, guarded by lion figures, connecting the stone road to the complex itself and the ponds were added later.
On this we, for a start, finished our acquaintance with ancient Khmer and world history. We returned to the room by 19-00 and went for a walk around the city at night. Are you here
Good luck friends!
Cambodia is one of the most mysterious countries South-East Asia where many secrets remain unsolved. Since the ruins of Angkor Wat were officially found, researchers and travelers have found a lot of interesting things in Cambodia. With a certain frequency, researchers find more and more ruins, dig out more and more interesting temples and palaces. What is the mystery of Cambodia? What is her secret? Why is there so much unknown here?
Roads of Cambodia.
The most difficult thing about getting around in Cambodia, especially if you want to travel to distant cities and villages, is transport connection. The roads of Cambodia are a real obstacle even for avid travelers. But only by overcoming this obstacle, you can find something really interesting and mysterious. If you are going to Lovek, then get ready for the fact that the roads can be washed out, there is definitely no asphalt there. And think carefully if you plan to go there during the rainy season. The fact is that most of the roads in Cambodia are made of clay, and it becomes very slippery when it rains. For such roads, a tractor is most suitable, not a car. But still, nothing is impossible. Let's hit the road!
The Lost City of Lovek.
The city of Lovek is a place that is not known even to most local residents. It is known that this city became the capital during the reign of An-Chan (there was such a king in the sixteenth century). The city was beautiful and great, but the king of Ayuthaya defeated it during the conquest of these lands.
And it seems that nothing is left of the former splendor and grandeur, if not for the feeling of something secret, unusual and mysterious.
If you pass near Oudong in Cambodia, try to find this secret city. Maybe he will show up for you!
Little is known about this mysterious city of Lovek in Cambodia. It is known that the city was the capital during the reign of King An Chan in the sixteenth century, and now on the site of the city there is a small village with a beautiful legend.
After the fall of Angkor, Lovek became the new official capital and the king built his palace there in 1553. In those days, there was a fierce war between Cambodians and Thais, and already in 1594, the leader of Ayutthaya Naresuan captured the new capital. In the seventeenth century, the importance of the city waned and the capital was moved to the city of Oudong near this place.
The memory of the city gradually faded into legend, but, like many lost cities, Lovek appears in the legends and songs of antiquity.
Search for the lost city.
Having heard the legend of Lovek and being not far from Udong, we decided to find what was left of this mysterious city that disappeared from the face of the earth.
Finding the city was not so easy. On the map, the city is located near Udong in the direction to the north, and we went there.
In general, they are stressful for an unprepared traveler. If you want to repeat our path, then get ready for the fact that there is no paved road here, and the clay gets very wet during the rain and becomes slippery.
Upon closer examination, Lovek turned out to be a village about five kilometers long, on one side of which there is a river. The village is rather poor and miserable with a small school.
During our arrival there was a very heavy downpour, and our car found itself in a terrible situation: the clay was washed away, the wheels of the car just started to spin. And we didn’t even think where it would be better for us to roll - after all, on the one hand there was a cliff to the river, and on the other, a cliff to the Khmer houses.
At the end of this slippery street there was a large pile of clay, which was simply impossible to bypass. Turning around was also impossible. We just sat in the car in the rain and waited for the mysterious city of Lovek to appear to us. And when the rain stopped, lo and behold (!) we went outside and asked the locals where we should go to Lovek, they replied that Lovek is this village.
Then a grader was brought to us and a road was cleared especially for us. The locals tried to speak to us in Khmer and French. People in distant villages are very kind and sympathetic.
I don’t know if this village is the only thing left of the great capital or the lost city never appeared to us. But at least the elements were not on our side - the rain did not allow us to drive further from this village. But we got pleasant emotions: firstly, that we climbed so far and got out, and secondly, that we talked with people from the outback of Cambodia - nice and open.
