The Gorgeous Temples of Siem Reap- Cambodia

What we enjoy most about our travels is getting a glimpse of the history of each country we visit. This is especially true with Cambodia. Back in the Khmer dynasties of the 9th- 15th centuries, it was the most powerful nation in Southeast Asia. It ruled most of what is now called Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and southern Vietnam. But today, it is only a fraction of the size, about 20% the size of Ontario.

The mighty Khmer kings developed these lands and built some of the most beautiful Hindu and Buddhist temples in the world and a lot of them are still standing today. The most impressive ones are in and around the city of Siem Reap and the most famous is Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world:

This temple, constructed in the early 12th century, was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. The walls are adorned with magnificent sculpted stonework:

There is an intricate sculpted wall (almost the length of a football field) which depicts the story of the beginning of time and the creation of the universe. It is also a story about the victory of good over evil:

In this middle scene of the wall, you can see the gods (devas) pulling on the right, the demons (asuras) pulling on the left- in a tug of war of good and evil- with Lord Vishnu in the centre. Lucky for us, goodness wins. 

What's also interesting about this temple is that toward the end of the 12th century, it gradually transformed from a Hindu centre of worship to Buddhism, which it still is today. In one of the main towers, there is a full Buddha enshrined (13th century) and still revered:

There are many other temples, both Hindu and Buddhist around Siem Reap. The oldest, dating back to 967 A.D. is called Banteay Srei, dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva:

And some may recognize the Buddhist temple Ta Prohm, completed in the 13th century that was used as a back-drop for the movie Tomb Raider (with Angelina Jolie before Brad Pitt):

Unlike most temples here, this one is in much the same condition in which it was found. The combination of trees growing out of the ruins (which they couldn't take out without destroying the temple) have made it one of the most visited in the region. 

Another temple we visited that historians say is the most spectacular temple of all is the Bayon temple (Buddhist), with its 54 towers, each tower bearing four enigmatic smiling faces:

The Bayon was the last state temple to be built at Angkor.

What fascinated us was a whole nation transitioning from Hinduism to Buddhism- it is now 95% Buddhist- and most of this happening almost 1,000 years ago!

Next up- Bali, Indonesia