| Angkor Wat ~ |
| Angkor Wat is by far the most magnificent of the temples in the region. It's five enormous, spiraling towers give it an imposing appearance from every angle. Built in 1150 A.D. under the rule of King Suryavarman II, |
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| I arrived at the temple at dawn, which seemed to be on every other visitor's agenda. The view we were greeted with, however, was well worth the wait. As the sun rose in the east, it cast the west end, which is the main entrance, in an eerily magnificent sillouhette. I walked around the outer grounds of the temple to get a feeling for how massive and ornate the temple truely is. |
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| "Angkor Wat is an immense monument occupying a rectangular area of about 500 acres, defined by a laterite enclosure wall which is surrounded by a moat that is 660 feet wide. The perimeter of the enclosure wall measures 3 1/2 miles. The moat is crossed by a huge causeway built of sandstone blocks 820 feet long and 39 feet wide. With such impressive statistics, it is easy to understand why some local inhabitants believe that Angkor Wat was built by the gods. (statistics taken from Angkor) |
| View from Phnom Bakeng: Temple Mtn. |
| A young monk observing his domain from the second tier. |
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| Sunrise |
| The temple consists of three levels. At the center tower, which pushes the height of Angkor Wat to 213 feet, (picture on the right), only the king and high priests were allowed. Today, you can see the Cambodian monks, dressed in bright orange robes, walking throughout the temple, preparing offerings, and performing their daily duties in the shadows of this magnificent structure. This place is a MUST SEE!! |