Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia

This is the last part of Angkor Wat - the heritage building in Siem Reap, Cambodia



















The first level of the heritage building is the most artistically interesting. Most visitors begin their exploration with the bas-reliefs counterclockwise around the temple.

Bas-relief highlights include the mythological Battle of Kuru on the west wall, the historical march of the army of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat, against the Cham, followed by scenes from Heaven and Hell on the south wall and the classic ' Churning of the Ocean Milk' on the east wall.

ANGKOR WAT - Siem Reap, Cambodia

This is the 2nd part posting on Angkor Wat.

The temple itself is 1 km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings.









































Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. It is in the viewing of the basreliefs that a tour guide can be very helpful.

The northern reflecting pool in front is the most popular sunrise location. The sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of Angkor's distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise sky.

Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia

ANGKOR WAT is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level.

Angkor Wat is the center piece of any visit to the temples of Angkor.

We have the opportunity to visit this heritage building during our visit to Siem Reap recently in the evening and admired it during sunset.

































At the apex of Khmer political and military dominance in the region, Suryavarman II constructed Angkor Wat in the form of a massive 'temple-mountain' dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu.

It served as his state temple, though the temple's uncommon westward orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as Suryavarman II's funerary temple.

Other temple of the same style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and Beng Melea, which may have served a prototype to Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters.

We are really impressed by the huge heritage jewel, Angkor Wat. (To be continued).

Penang Heritage Site : Kapitan Kling Mosque

We took a walk around the Lebuh Arrmenian and Lebuh Buckingham area. We were surprised to see so many heritage sites in a small area in Penang, namely the Khoo Kongsi, Yap Temple, Islamic Museum, Dr Sun Yat Sen's Penang Base, Kapitan Keling Mosque and many others.

The Kapitan Keling Mosque is located Between Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling and Lebuh Buckingham. Built in 1801, this grand Indian-Muslim mosque, which boasts of Moorish architecture, was founded by Cauder Mydin Merican alias Kapitan Keling, the headman of the Muslim community during that era.