Angkor travel style – most styles possible

Being on a bike, my style of exploring Angkor Park, meeting a completely different style.

Here at the West Gate of the Angkor Thom old capital, this beautiful Rolls Royce had brought their guests to visit. The kind elder couple had wanted to take this trip to Angkor for a long time. And they wanted a ride to make it very special.
I’d say they succeeded.

This gate is named Ta Kav gate in Khmer. I t is one of the four main entrances to Angkor Thom, out of the total of five gates int the capital built by the great king Jayavarman VII.
Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is truly a Kingdom of wonders. And some surprises.

There are several companies renting stylish and/or classic cars for people looking for that special travel experience in Siem Reap. Or planning a very special event. I have found several classic Mercedes, Bentleys, Italian Maseratis, and US Camaros and Mustangs. And Vipers.

#westgate #angkor #thom #cambodia #kingdomofwonder #bikingintheangkorwonderland
#rollsroyce #luxurycar #luxury #angkorthom #takavgate #jungle #khmer #art #architecture #elephants #selfie #jayavarmanvii #travelinstyle #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap

The last Hindu temple built in the greatest Buddhist kings’ capital

That time a hidden temple revealed itself in green season livery. A misty morning at East Top Temple, Angkor Thom.
Prasat Top Khang Kaeut (Eastern Prasat Top), ប្រាសាទតុប ខាងកើត or Mangalartha temple is a small Hindu temple with several images of the God Vishnu. The temple is mostly unvisited and very peaceful.

Green temple
The vegetation has taken over most of the surroundings. That makes for some stunning photo opportunities. During or just after green season this gets extraordinary, with deep, green moss and fresh green all around this temple.

Top Khang Kaeut was built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, the great Buddhist god king, and was initiated in 1295CE. It was built in honour of Mangalartha, a son of a Hindu Brahmin priest/guru kept in high regard by the god king. That gives a glimpse into the religious tolerance and structures in the Khmer Empire.

Small temple, large importance
This is the last significant Hindu Temple built in the Khmer Empire before the major change to Buddhism as State religion. It was built during the era of the most powerful of the Buddhist kings of Angkor. It is the last temple built in the high Angkor time frame with a definitive known initiating date.

The “Hidden Temple”-name is because anyone who wants to explore this small temple and site needs to actively go looking for it. It is not on any of the ordinary visiting trips in Angkor Park. If not biking, the visitor needs to walk some hundred meters into the thick forest. Tuk Tuks or cars cannot drive there.

It is a nice 12 km ride from central Siem Reap.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/05/15/the-secret-temple-in-angkor-thom/

#angkor #greenseason #AOTBT #offthebeatentrack #KhangKaeut #Mangalartha #vishnu #green #hinduism #jayavarmanvii #angkorthom #1295CE #hindu #temple #Park #ricefield #visitsiemreap #visitcambodia #ancient #architecture #Cambodia #KhmerEmpire #southeastasia #worldculturalheritage

A quiet morning at the hospital temple Prei Prasat Ta Oun Temple

This is one of those temples that literally is off the beaten track. The only access is via a narrow bike trail, on the side of farmland with grazing cows. The trail gets very muddy in green season.
Localised well north of Angkor Thom, this temple was built in late 12th century. It is one of the over 100 hospital temples built during the reign of the great Khmer king Jayavarman VII. More known for his state temple Bayon with what is considered his portrait being repeated all over its façade.

Hospital temples were temples connected to a nearby public hospital. It was used for prayer, rites, offerings and probably as part of the therapy. It was an early example of public healthcare system built in scale. It shows how advanced and rich the Angkor empire was at its peak 450 years into its existence.

Compact and peaceful
It is not a large site, but it is one of the best kept examples of these hospital-temples built in Bayon style. Even the moat surrounding Ta Oun is in relatively good order. But it dries up during the hot season.

There are remains of a Gopura and a Library to the east of the main temple, and a smaller gate to the west. There are no remains of the hospital itself.

It is worth a visit not only for the insights into an important part of Khmer imperial history. Ta Oun is well off the main visitor’s area, is peaceful and often without any other visitors.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2025/02/16/ta-oun-temple/

#1280CE #ancient #AngkorArcheologicalPark #angkor #temples #angkorthom #angkorwat #angkorpark #AOTBT #architecture #archive #art #Asia #Biking #bikingintheangkorwonderland #bluesky #Buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #Hinduism #history #imperial #J7 #JayavarmanVII #Kampuchea #khmer #kingdomofwonder #offthebeatentrack #Pagoda #PrasatTaOun #Temple #siemreap #southeastasia #taountemple #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage

The mirror pond at Neak Poan temple

A morning bike to Neak Pean/Neak Poan (Khmer: ប្រាសាទនាគព័ន្ធ, “the entwined serpents”) is a fresh morning bike trip. The main temple tower dedicated to Avalokitesvara is this one in the mirror pond is worth the trip itself.

Neak Pean was built as a retreat and healing place at an artificial island. This island was put in the centre of a man made Baray/lake and water-reservoir.

In memory and honour of Dad
The surrounding Jayatataka Baray lays due east of the Preah Khan temple. This is the large temple complex J7 built in honour of his father.

Jayavarman VII had clear visions as mighty ruler of the Khmer Empire. This was the most beautiful of the more than 110 hospitals he initiated build for his people all over the core parts of his Empire. It is an architectural and water engineering marvel. Placed close by the large temple built in memory of his dad.

Tips for visits
Neak Pean is normally part of the Grand Circuit Tours of Angkor Park. It should be visited early after sunrise, before the soft breeze of the day breaks up the internal mirror pond tranquillity.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/12/25/neak-poan-hospital-temple-for-peace-of-mind/

#1250CE #ancient #angkor #wat #AngkorHeritage #angkorpark #apsara #architecture #mirror #forest #archive #art #artificial #lake #Asia #Avalokitesvara #ប្រាសាទ#នាគព័ន្ធ #biking #bikingadventures #bluesky #Buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #countryside #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #Hinduism #history #imperial #J7 #jajavarmanvii #Jayatataka #Baray #jvii #Kampuchea #khmer #kingdomofwonders #mirror #pond #NeakPean #neakpoan #Temple #Pagoda #Prasat #PreahKhan #roadtrip #Sculpture #SiemReap #southeastasia #theentwinedserpents #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage

Apotheosis

This is also called divinization or deification. It’s from the Latin deificato, meaning “making divine.” This is the glorification of a subject to divine levels & commonly, the treatment of a human being, any other living thing, or an abstract idea in the likeness of a deity.

The original sense of apotheosis relates to religion & is the subject of many works of art. Figuratively “apotheosis” may be used in almost any context for “the deification, glorification, or exaltation of a principle, practice, etc.” So normally attached to an abstraction of some sort.

In religion, apotheosis was a feature of many religions in the ancient world. Some that are active today. It requires a belief that there’s a possibility of newly created God’s, so a polytheistic belief system.

The Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Islam, & Judaism don’t allow this. Though many recognize minor sacred categories such as saints. They’re created by a process called canonization. In Christian theology, there’s a concept of the faithful becoming god-like, called divinization or in Eastern Christianity theosis.

In Hinduism, there’s some range for new deities. A human may be deified by becoming regarded as an avatar of an established deity, usually a major one, or by being regarded as a new, independent deity (usually a minor one), or a mix of the 2.

In art, an apotheosis scene usually shows the subject in the Heavens or rising towards them. They’re often partnered by a number of angels, putti, personifications of virtues, or similar figures.

Especially from Baroque art onwards apotheosis scenes may show rulers, generals, or artists purely as an honorific symbol. In many cases, the “religious” context is classical Greco-Roman pagan religion, like The Apotheosis of Voltaire, which features Apollo. The Apotheosis of Washington (1865) sits high in the dome of the United States of America Capitol Building is another example. Personification of places or abstractions are also shown receiving an apotheosis. The classic composition was suited for artistic placement on ceilings or inside domes.

Before the Hellenistic period, imperial cults were known in ancient Egypt (pharaohs) & Mesopotamia (from Naran-Sin through Hammurabi). In the New Kingdom of Egypt, all deceased pharaohs were deified as the god Osiris, having been identified as Horus while on the throne. They were sometimes referred to as the “son” of other various deities.

The architect Imhotep was defied after his passing away. Though the process seems to have been gradual. This took over 1,000 years, by which time he had become associated with medicine. About a dozen non-royal ancient Egyptians became regarded as deities.

Ancient Greek & Roman religions have many characters who were born as humans but became gods. Like Disney’s Hercules. They’re usually made divine by 1 of the main deities, the 12 Olympians. In the Roman story of Cupid & Psyche, Zeus gave the ambrosia of the gods to the mortal Psyche. This transformed her into a goddess herself.

In the case of the Hellenistic queen Berenice II of Egypt was deified like other rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The court dispersed a myth that her hair, that was cut off to fulfill a vow, had its own apotheosis before becoming the Coma Berenices, a group of stars that still bear her name.

In the Greek world, the 1st leader who granted himself diving honors was Philip II of Macedon. At the wedding to his 6th wife, Philip’s enthroned image was carried in procession among the Olympian gods. Such Hellenistic state leaders might be raised to a status equal to the gods before death, like Alexander the Great, or afterwards, like members of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

A heroic cult status that’s similar to apotheosis was also an honor given to a few reversed artists of the distant past, such as Homer.

Up to the end of the Roman Republic, the god Quirinus was the only 1 the Romans accepted as having undergone apotheosis, for his identification/syncretism with Romulus. Syncretism is the practice of meshing together different beliefs & various schools of thought. Eventually apotheosis in Ancient Rome was a process whereby a deceased ruler was recognized as divine by their successors. This was usually done by a decree of the Senate & popular consent.

The 1st of these cases was the posthumous deification of the last Roman dictator Julius Caesar in 42 BC by his adopted son, the triumvir Caesar Octavian. In addition to showing respect, the present ruler often deified a popular predecessor to legitimize himself & gain popularity himself & gain popularity with the people.

A vote in the Roman Senate, in the later Empire confirming an imperial decree, was the normal official process. But this sometimes followed a period with the unofficial use of deific language or imagery for the individual. This was often done rather discreetly within the imperial circle.

There was then a public ceremony, called a consecratio, including the release of an eagle which flew high. This represents the ascent of the deified person’s soul to Heaven. Imagery featuring the ascent, sometimes using a chariot, was common on coins & in other art.

The largest & most famous example in art in a relief on the base of the Column of Antoninus Pius, showing the emperor & his wife, Faustina the Elder, being carried up by a much larger winged figure, described as representing “Eternity,” as the personifications of “Roma” & the Campus Martius sit below, & eagles fly above. The imperial couple are represented as Jupiter & Juno (or Zeus & Hera).

The historian Dio Cassius, who said he was present, gives a detailed description of the large, & lavish, public consecratio of Perinax, emperor for 3 months in 193, ordered by Septimius Severus.

At the height of the imperial cult during the Roman Empire, sometimes the emperor’s deceased loved ones (heirs, empresses, or lovers) like Hadrian’s Antinous were deified as well.

Deified people were posthumously given the title ‘Divus’ for men & ‘Diva’ for women to their names to signify their divinity. Traditional Roman religion distinguished between a deus (god) & divus (a mortal who became divine or deified), though not consistently. Temple & columns were erected to provide a space for worship.

The imperial cult was mainly popular in the provinces. Especially in the Eastern Empire, where many cultures were well used to deified rulers, & less popular in Rome itself, & among traditionalists & intellectuals.

Some privately, & cautiously, ridiculed the apotheosis of inept & feeble emperors, as in the satire The Pumkinification of (the Divine) Claudius. This is usually attributed to Seneca.

Numerous mortals have been deified into the Taoist pantheon. Examples are Guan Yi, Iron-crutch Li, & Fan Kuai. Song dynasty general Yue Fei was deified during the Ming dynasty. He’s considered by some practitioners to be 1 of the 3 highest-ranking heavenly generals. The Ming dynasty epic Investiture of the Gods deals heavily with deification legends.

In the complicated, & variable, conceptions of deity in Buddhism, the achievement of Buddhahood may be regarded as an achievable goal for the faithful. Many significant deities are considered to have begun as normal people, from Gautama Buddha (the original Buddha & the creator of Buddhism) downwards. Most of these are seen as avatars or re-births of earlier figures.

Some significant Hindu deities, in particular Rama, were also born as humans. He’s seen as an avatar of Vishnu. In more modern times, Swaminarayan is an undoubted & well-documented historical figure, who’s regarded by some Hindus as an avatar of Vishnu, or as being a still more elevated deity. Bharat Mata (Mother India) began as a national personification devised by a group of Bengali intellectuals in the late 19th century. But now it receives some worship.

Various Hindu & Buddhist rulers in the past have been represented as deities, especially after death, from India to Indonesia. Jayavarman VII, King of the Khmer Empire the 1st Buddhist king of Cambodia, had his own features used for the many statues of Buddha/Avalokitevara he erected.

The extreme personality cult instituted by the founder of North Korea, Kim Il-Sung, has been to represent a deification. And continues to this day with the current leader. Even the nation is admittedly atheist.

In Christian theology, instead of the word “apotheosis,” they use the words “deification” or “divinization” or the Greek word “theosis.” Pre-Reformation, & mainstream theology, in both East & West, views Jesus Christ as the preexisting God who undertook mortal existence. Not as a mortal being who attained divinity. A view known as adoptionism. Adoptionism is an early Christian non-Trinitarian doctrine that holds that Jesus was born a mere human being. But Jesus was later adopted by God as His son, usually at Jesus’ baptism or resurrection, rather than being divine from eternity.

It holds that he has made it possible for human beings to be raised to the level of sharing the divine nature as II Peter 1:4 states that he became human to make humans “partakers of the divine nature.”

In John 10:34, Jesus referenced Psalm 82:6 when he stated: “Is it not written in your Law, I have said you are gods?” Other authors stated: “For this is why the Word became man, & the Son of God became the Son of man: so that Man, by entering into communion with the Word & thus receiving divine sonship, might be made God.” Accusations of self deification to some degree may have been placed on heretical such as the Waldensians.

The language of II Peter is taken up by St. Irenaeus, in his famous phrase, “if the Word has been made man, it is so that men may be made gods.” It becomes the standard in Greek theology. In the 14th century, St. Athanasius repeats Irenaeus almost word for word. In the 5th century, St. Cyril of Alexandria says that we shall become sons “by participation” (Greek methexis). Methexis is “group sharing,” where the audience actively participates in the performance.

Deification is the central idea in the spirituality of St. Maximus the Confessor. For whom the doctrine is the result of the Incarnation: “Deification, briefly, is the encompassion & fulfillment of all times and ages.”

The Roman Catholic Church doesn’t use the term “apotheosis” in its theology. This is equivalent to the Greek word theosis are Latin-derived words “divinization” & deification” used in the Latin tradition of the Catholic Church.

The concept has been given less prominence in Western theology than in that of the Eastern Catholic Churches. But is present in the Latin Church’s liturgical prayer.

Despite the theological differences, in the Catholic church art depictions of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in art & the Ascension of Jesus in Christian art do share many similarities in composition to apotheosis subjects. As there are many images of saints being raised into Heaven.

Anthropolatry is the deification & worship of humans. It was practiced in ancient Japan towards their emperors. Followers of Socinianism were later accused of practicing anthropolatry.

One-Time Monthly Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$1.00 $5.00 $10.00 $1.00 $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00 $15.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly

#1865 #193 #42BC #4thCentury #5thCentury #AbrahamicReligions #Adoptionism #AlexanderTheGreat #Ambrosia #AncientRome #Angels #Anthropolatry #Antinous #Apollo #Apotheosis #AscensionOfJesus #AssumptionOfTheVirginMary #Atheist #Avalokiteshvara #Avatar #Avatars #BaroqueArt #bengali #BereniceIIOfEgypt #BharatMata #Buddha #BuddhaGautama #Buddhahood #Buddhism #CaesarOctavian #Cambodia #CampusMartius #canonization #CatholicChurch #Christianity #ColumnOfAntoninusPius #ComaBerenices #Consecratio #Cupid #Deification #Deity #Deus #DioCassius #Disney #DIva #Divinization #Divus #EasternCatholicChurch #EasternChristianity #EasternEmpire #Egypt #Egyptians #Emperors #FanKuai #FaustinaTheElder #GrecoRoman #Greek #GuanYi #Hadrian #Hammurabi #Heaven #Hellenistic #Hera #Hercules #Hindu #Hinduism #Homer #Horus #IIPeter14 #Imhotep #ImperialCults #India #Indonesia #InvestitureOfTheGods #IronCrutchLi #Islam #Japan #JayavarmanVII #Jesus #John1034 #Judaism #JuliusCaesar #Juno #Jupiter #KhmerEmpire #KimIlSung #Krishna #Late19thCentury #Latin #LatinChurch #Mesopotamia #Methexis #MingDynasty #NaramSin #NewKingdom #NorthKorea #Olympians #Osiris #pagan #Pertinax #Pharaohs #PhilipIIOfMacedon #polytheistic #Psalm826 #Psyche #PtolemaicDynasty #Putti #Rama #Reformation #Roman #RomanCatholicChurch #RomanRepublic #RomanSenate #Romans #Romulus #Saints #Senate #Seneca #SeptimiusSeverus #Socinianism #StAthanasius #StCyrilOfAlexandria #StIrenaeus #StMaximusTheConfessor #Swaminarayan #Syncretism #Taoist #TaoistPantheon #Temple #ThePumpkinificationOfTheDivineClaudius #Theosis #Triumvir #USCapitolBuilding #Vishnu #Waldensians #YueFei #Zeus

The Compassionate symbolism of the Cat Temple

The name Prasat Banteay Chhmar original meaning was mini citadel temple. In modern Khmer its name can be translated Temple of cats, as Chhmar means cat.

A figure frequent in carvings and bas-reliefs here is the Lokeshvara, the compassionate Bodhisattva. In Mahayana Buddhism Lokeshvara is the ideal of compassion, as he elected not to reach perfect enlightenment as Buddha. Instead, he decided to help others struggling or suffering on their way to Buddhahood.

Lokeshvara was given eleven heads to better hear the suffering of humans, and a thousand arms so he could reach out and help all of them. He is often depicted with a lotus in one of his left hands.

The great god king Jayavarman VII was Mahayana Buddhist emperor, and the worship of Lokeshvara reached a peak during his reign. Several of the buildings built during his reign uses the Lokeshvara frequently.

Prasat Banteay Chhmar is one of the largest temples built in JVIIs time off the main imperial capital city Angkor Thom. It is famous for having many of the most exquisite versions of Lokeshvara depictions. This Lokeshvara in the photo is one of four depictions on the west side.

This temple is situated far west in today’s Cambodia, along the Angkor Khmer Highway, the main road connecting the main cities in the Khmer Angkor Empire.

Prasat Banteay Chhmar is 3 hours’ drive out of Siem Reap. Suitable for a daytrip, but there are lodgings nearby. Sisophon town is 63 km away. This temple is approximately 20 km east of the Thai border.

https://lucasvarro.com/blogs/angkorpedia/lokeshvara

#Prasat #Banteay #Chhmar #BanteayChhmar #Temple #JayavarmanVII #JVII #J7 #AngkorThom #Bayon #TaProhm #BanteayMeanchey #2018CE #ancient #art #architecture #sculpture #archive #worldculturalheritage #Lokeshvara #compassionate #Bodhisattva #Mahayana #khmer #empire #Buddhism #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #Cambodia #countryside #daytrip #history #imperial #ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយឆ្មារ

The mini citadel temple in Banteay Meanchey

Despite the name, the temple complex of Prasat Banteay Chhmar is one of the largest building works from the time of Jayavarman VII. This newly cleared covered walkway between the entrance building and the first temple to the west of the temple is an example of the building style of the era.

Including the great god kings face covering some of the towers in the central parts. Like what is done in Bayon State Temple in the centre of Angkor Thom.

Banteay Chhmar can be directly translated to “Mini/small fortress”. It is situated in Banteay Meanchey province, meaning The Fortress of Victory. This temple is situated far west in today’s Cambodia, but it is situated along the Angkor Khmer Highway, the main road connecting the main cities in the Khmer Angkor Empire together. This temple was directly connected to Angkor Thom via this highway.

Banteay Chhmar, along with its many satellite shrines and dried out reservoir (Baray), comprises one of the most important and least understood archaeological complexes from Cambodia's Angkor period.

It has been under careful and extensive restoration for the last ten years. This has uncovered buildings in the style of the great kings other buildings. There are some detailed decorated friezes and pilasters, and outer walls with extensive bas-reliefs.

Prasat Banteay Chhmar is 3 hours’ drive out of Siem Reap. Suitable for a daytrip, but there are lodgings nearby. Sisophon town is under one hour away with more lodging’s alternatives and small city offerings of food, drinks and shopping.

#Prasat #Banteay #Chhmar #BanteayChhmar #Temple #JayavarmanVII #JVII #J7 #AngkorThom #Bayon #TaProhm #BanteayMeanchey #2018CE #ancient #art #architecture #sculpture #archive #worldculturalheritage #khmer #empire #Buddhism #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #takeonlyphotos #leaveonlyfootprints #Cambodia #countryside #daytrip #history #imperial #Pagoda #site #ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយឆ្មារ,

Greenlight the best time to visit Cambodia

Sometimes it is nice enjoying the rain cleaning up the air and colours in Angkor Thom. Sitting in a comfortable shelter with other visitors and staff is a sociable affair, too.

Green season in Cambodia starts in June/July and reaches its peak in September/October. Planning to visit during the summer in Europe, or when the Autumn is at its darkest and coldest in the northern hemisphere, those are the best time to enjoy Cambodia.

And to visit the architecture and art from the ancient Khmer empire.

The afternoon rainfalls are short, and they freshest the air and cools down the temperature. And they make everything grow healthy green. Including shrouding the ancient temples and imperial sites in green, softening the outline and enhancing the contrasts.

Making the photography conditions are excellent, the temperature is awesome, the crowds are small, and the cost of food, drinks and accommodation are as pleasant as ever.

For those who enjoys other senses as much, they can look forward to the fresh scent after a shower has cleaned the air, and the fragrance of green nature in it growing season. And the aroma of delicious food made from fresh vegetables and fruit. The sound of birds and insects wakening after a fresh spell is part of natural wonder. And the sound of different sort of monsoon is something to ponder.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/01/01/embracing-the-rain-visiting-angkor-park/

#greensseason #2019CE #ancient #Angkor #angkorpark #angkorthom #angkorwat #architecture #archive #art #bayon #bike #bikefriendly #bikingintheAngkorWonderland #Buddhism #Cambodia #citywalk #daytrip #Empire #forestgreen #moss #greentourism #imperial #J7 #JayavarmanVII #jvii #Kampuchea #khmer #roadtrip #Sculpture #Siem #Reap #siemreap #site #south #east #asia #southeastasia #statetemple #temple #travel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #wat #wet #worldculturalheritage

Green season morning in Angkor Park

Prasat Top Khang Kaeut (Eastern Prasat Top) temple is a small Hindu temple with several images of the Hindu God Vishnu. The temple is mostly unvisited and very peaceful. The vegetation makes for some stunning photo opportunities during the green season.

The vegetation has taken over most of the surroundings. During green season it gets extraordinary for photos, with deep, green moss and fresh green all around the still very visible temple.

Religious tolerance in the Khmer Empire
Top Khang Kaeut was built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, the great Buddhist god king, and was initiated in 1295CE. It was dedicated in honour of Mangalartha, a son of a Hindu Brahmin priest/guru kept in high regard by the great king. That gives a glimpse into the religious tolerance and transformation of the Empire into Buddhism as the main religion.

This is the last significant Hindu Temple built in the Khmer Empire before the major change to Buddhism as state religion.

Pleasant green season
The Green season in Cambodia starts in June/July and reaches its peak in September/October. To visit during this time period are among the best time slots to enjoy modern Cambodia.

The afternoon rainfalls are short, and they freshen up the air and chills the temperature. And they make everything grow healthy green.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/05/15/the-secret-temple-in-angkor-thom/

#greensseason #2019CE #ancient #Angkor #angkorpark #angkorthom #angkorwat #architecture #archive #art #Asia #bayon #bike #bikefriendly #bikingintheAngkorWonderland #Buddhism #Cambodia #citywalk #countryside #daytrip #EasternPrasatTop #Empire #forestgreen #moss #greentourism #Hinduism #history #imperial #J7 #JayavarmanVII #jvii #Kampuchea #khmer #Mangalartha #Pagoda #Prasat #roadtrip #Sculpture #Siem #Reap #siemreap #site #south #east #asia #southeastasia #statetemple #temple #travel #Vishnu #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #wat #greenseason #worldculturalheritage

Sunset at Preah Enkosei Temple
ប្រាសាទព្រះឥន្រ្ទកោសីយ៍, Siem Reap.

It is regarded as the ancient Khmer temple closest to modern Siem Reap city centre. Preah Enkosei is between the modern Wat Enkosei and the necropolis of this pagoda and monastery area.

Preah Enkosei was built as a three tower Hindu temple appx 950CE. The entrance Gopura is flanked by small lion guardian statues. The Gopura have an anteroom with a lingam and is placed on the remains of a laterite wall running partly around the perimeter. There are two "library"-building remains flanking the gate on the inside.

The southern tower is marked by a platform only. There are discussions going on if it was ever built, never finished or for other reasons demolished before modern excavations started.

This temple is close to Siem Reap River, and it is an excellent target for an easy afternoon stroll along the river. It should take appx 30-35 minutes’ walk from Siem Reap city centre.

Or 10 minutes by bike.

Visitors do not need Angkor Pass, but this is still a functioning wat and pagoda area. Please act respectful entering this holy place of worship.

#Preah #Enkosai #Temple #PreahEnkosai #2022CE #ancient #angkor #Archeological #Park #angkortemples #Apsara #Authority #architecture #Asia #ប្រាសាទចាន់តាអួន #biking #bikingintheangkorwonderland #bluesky #buddhism #Cambodia #citylife #daytrip #Empire #greentourism #hinduism #history #imperial #J7 #JayavarmanVII #Kampuchea #khmerempire #kingdomofwonder #Temple #roadtrip #lionsculpture #SiemReab #SiemReap #southeastasia #ravel #visitcambodia #visitsiemreap #worldculturalheritage