Discovering the Lost City of Angkor Wat in Cambodia
Angkor’s iconic temple complexes attract millions of visitors annually, but if you venture beyond these three landmarks you could avoid the crowds and discover a lost city!
University of Sydney archaeologists have used advanced light-scanning technology lidar to map Mahendraparvata, an enormous medieval city hidden deep within Cambodian jungle that predates Angkor Wat by 350 years.
Angkor Wat
One of the world’s most impressive monuments has remained hidden for centuries despite researchers discovering hundreds of paintings on its walls at Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia dating back to 12th century. A cave painting specialist then digitally enhanced these images according to Smithsonian Magazine reports.
Angkor Wat was originally constructed as a Hindu temple before becoming Buddhist during its conversion in 12th century. Today it remains an increasingly popular pilgrimage site and draws nearly one million visitors annually.
Henri Mouhot was responsible for its rediscovery in the 19th century; he declared it to be “grander than anything left behind by Greece or Rome.” Angkor Wat has since remained in use; today it serves as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Cambodia’s premier tourist attraction; additionally it’s considered sacred by Buddhist followers, numbering over one billion worldwide based on teachings from Siddhartha Gautama who is thought to have lived 2,500 years ago in India.
Ta Phrom
Henri Mouhot found Angkor only as a pale shadow of its former glory when he returned. Tree-ring tests and lidar mapping indicate that abrupt climate change caused by disastrous flooding had taken a devastating toll at the end of medieval period, leading to widespread water network destruction that eventually lead to its gradual dismantling and ultimate collapse of life within Angkor itself.
Ta Prohm was one of many temples covered with trees, but none was quite so completely subsumed as Ta Prohm. Massive strangler fig trees interlace their roots amongst stones at its foundations enveloping structures like Ta Prohm in their embrace and filtering sunlight through forest canopy to illuminate ruins in its shadow.
Ta Prohm stands out as an unforgettable site in Cambodia due to the way its intimate relationship between man and nature makes it such an evocative location. Visitors can walk amongst Angkor’s mysterious ruins and experience how once upon a time empires were established here and stories unfolded that no longer remain untold. Even now its temples serve as centers of knowledge; their overgrown structures bear testament to this legacy.
Preah Khan
The temple strikes an ideal balance between mystery and splendor. Its crumbling monuments exude an otherworldly charm while being adorned with intricate details. Spend hours exploring this Cambodian gem!
Built at the site of an important battle where King Jayavarman VII defeated his arch-enemy Cham king, this structure would enable Jayavarman VII to retake control of Khmer empire core.
One of the most intriguing discoveries at Preah Khan was an intriguing cluster of industrial remains, including 18 iron kilns, that could provide evidence that this city produced iron for larger Angkor civilization.
Careful observation of the ruins reveals similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism that indicate King Jayavarman was making efforts to unite both faiths within his kingdom.
Bayon
Nothing sets the pulse racing like the idea of a lost city. This phrase appears in book titles and movies alike and often makes headlines when major discoveries have been announced. While Angkor may have been considered lost for centuries prior, archaeologists are now uncovering hidden layers to its history that provide new avenues of research.
The Bayon Temple may be best-known for the serene faces carved into its towers, but this architectural marvel serves much more than that: It serves as a portal into Cambodia’s rich past and serves as an instrument of national pride for Cambodia.
Due to its unique design and mystical significance, Bayon stands as one of the key monuments in Angkor complex and symbolizes Khmer empire’s artistic and religious legacy. For optimal exploration, allow at least two hours for exploring its maze-like corridors and passageways.
