One of these temples – a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo – might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.
Henri Mouhot
In August 2009 I travelled to Cambodia, where I spent one month photographing some of the magnificent temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park. Covering more than 400 square kilometres in the province of Siem Reap, this park contains more than 100 monuments – of which two dozen are major temples. The best known and best-preserved of these temples is Angkor Wat, which, having survived the passage of time, the harsh annual double monsoon of the region, countless droughts and numerous wars, remains one of the most awe-inspiring religious monuments ever built, and clearly demonstrates the genius and ingenuity of its ancient builders.
The French explorer Henri Mouhot, who “re-discovered” Angkor Wat in the 1850s, described it in the following way: “One of these temples – a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo – might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.”
The smiling stone faces at Prasat Bayon in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
The smiling stone faces at Prasat Bayon in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
The smiling stone faces at Prasat Bayon in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
The smiling stone faces at Prasat Bayon in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
The smiling stone faces at Prasat Bayon in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
The smiling stone faces at Prasat Bayon in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.” (Maurice Glaize)
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Bakong Temple is part of the Rulous Group of Temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
An ancient doorway in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
The view from Mount Bakheng towards Angkor Wat.
The view from Mount Bakheng towards Angkor Wat.
Beng Mealea Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
Beng Mealea Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
The remains of an ancient building in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Temples near Koh Ker in the Angkor Archaeological Park by Thaddeus Pope.
Beng Mealea Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Beng Mealea Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
The Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Beng Mealea Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Banteay Srei Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Beng Mealea Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Koh Ker Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Koh Ker Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Tree Roots and Stone Face in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Apsara Bas-Reliefs at Beng Mealea in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Koh Ker Temple Elephant Statue.
Pre Rup Temple Lions in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat bas-reliefs in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat bas-reliefs in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Beng Mealea Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
A friendly local dog at Koh Ker Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Detailed carvings at Banteay Srei Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
Detailed carvings at Banteay Srei Temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
‘Valley of a 1000 Lingas’ in the Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
The Angkor Archaeological Park, near Siem Reap.
