Siem Reap Audio Tour: Unveiling the Legends and Landmarks

Alrighty, folks! Welcome to stop number 7, Preah Pithu! Get ready to explore a group of five temples that, although not designed as a group originally, still have a lot to offer. Even in their ruined state, these temples have some pretty impressive carvings and a peaceful, semi-wooded setting. Located in Angkor Thom, just northeast of the famous Bayon temple, these temples may be close to each other, but they weren't all built at the same time. Two of them were built in the same period, while the others were separate. So, there's no apparent order to this temple mash-up! Now, let's meet these temples individually. We've got T, U, V, W, and X. "X" is our cool Buddhist temple, but it's actually unfinished and probably the latest addition to the group. The other four are Hindu temples. Although these temples may be in bad shape, with the upper levels all ruined, their carvings are still quite interesting. And hey, the site is pretty peaceful and not too crowded, so that's a plus! Oh, and let's not forget the moat! Well, when it's not dry, that is. Some of these temples are surrounded by a moat that adds an extra touch of allure. It's like a big, watery hug around the temple. How nice! Wait, did I mention that these temples were cleaned not once, but twice? Yep, Jean Commaille was the first to give them a good scrub in 1908, and then Henri Marchal took over from 1918 to 1920. Gotta keep those temples looking spiffy! Now, let's dive into the details of each temple. Temple "T" has a sandstone enclosure and a main axis with two gopuras. Inside, there's a sanctuary with a large linga on its pedestal. You'll find fragments of the western door lintel on the ground that show a stylized depiction of the "Churning of the Sea of Milk" - sounds like a fancy milkshake, doesn't it? The walls are full of lovely devatas and floral motifs, all done in the Bayon style. Moving on to temple "U," it's similar to "T" but smaller and simpler. No gopura for this one! The west door lintel shows the Trimurti, with Shiva having a dance-off atop a kala-head, sandwiched between Vishnu and Brahma. So much talent in one carving! Now, temple "X" sits on a large terrace, about a hundred meters east of temple "U." You can easily reach it if the moat isn't full of water. It's got a similar design to the others, but it's larger and unfinished in terms of decorations. And guess what? "X" is our funky Buddhist temple! Sculpted Buddhas and Buddhist motifs can be found on the walls of the sanctuary chamber - it's like a mini-Buddha museum. Once we're outside the moat, we discover temple "V," which is oriented to the east. It has a double vestibule, no enclosure, and a long causeway on the west side that leads right into the northeast corner of the Royal Square. Inside the sanctuary chamber, there's a big ol' linga that measures 1.5 meters - now that's one mighty linga! Last but not least, we have temple "Y." This temple doesn't have a fancy basement or any stairways; it just stands proudly on an earthen platform, north of temple "V." It's kind of like the rebel of the group! And get this - it's dated between Angkor Wat and Bayon. Talk about being in the middle of two big popular kids! So, "Y" is oriented to the east and boasts a long mandapa as its entrance, along with a sanctuary chamber hosting a linga. This chamber may have mostly collapsed, but it's got two pretty remarkable half-frontons that depict the defeat of the asura Bana by Krishna and the three giant steps of Vamana. These carvings really give you a sense of the epic stories behind them! So there you have it, folks - the Preah Pithu group of temples. Even though they may not have been designed as a squad, they sure know how to make an impression! Ready to move on to our next stop? Let's go!

Welcome to Tep Pranam, my friend! This temple is home to a massive seated Buddha, made entirely of sandstone blocks. It's truly a sight to behold! What's interesting is that the interior of the Buddha statue is made up of recycled stone blocks. Talk about being resourceful, right? But that's not all! To get to this temple, you'll have to walk along a 75-meter-long causeway made of laterite. Don't worry, it's 8 meters wide, so there's plenty of room for you to strut your stuff! Once you reach the end of the causeway, you'll find a terrace with double sema, which are those fancy Buddhist boundary markers. They like to mark their territory, you know? Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the original building that housed the Buddha statue was made of wood. Sadly, it's long gone now. But hey, at least the cruciform foundation is still standing strong! Now, let's keep the adventure going and head to our next stop. Who's excited? I know I am!

One of the interesting things about Preah Palilay is its unique blend of Hindu and Buddhist elements. It's like a fusion restaurant, but for temples! The lack of foundation stele or inscriptions makes it a bit tricky to accurately date this temple, but hey, who needs labels, right? We'll just go with the flow. Some historians believe that this temple was built during the reign of Jayavarman VIII, but they can't quite figure out how the Buddhist imagery managed to survive the iconoclast fury of that time. It's like a temple magic trick! Maybe it was built in different periods, like a historical collage. The sanctuary in the first half of the 12th century, and the gopura, which is basically a fancy entrance, in the late 13th or early 14th century. You know what they say, "variety is the spice of temple building!" As we approach the temple, you'll notice a cross-shaped terrace with some mighty naga balustrades. These seven-headed snake-like creatures are guarding the eastern side. I don't know about you, but I feel safer with snake guards. We also have two decapitated dvarapalas, which are basically giant temple guardians. Looks like someone took their job a bit too seriously! Now, don't forget to take a moment to appreciate the causeway that connects the temple to the single sandstone gopura. It's a 33-meter-long path that's just begging to be Instagrammed. #TempleGoals! Inside the temple, you'll find a shrine housing a 3-meter-tall statue of Buddha, sitting on a lotus. It's like a little Buddha oasis within the temple. Talk about serenity! The gopura, with its three entrances, has some pretty interesting pediments. One of them shows "the offering of the animals in the forest of Parilyyaka." Quite the mouthful, I know. But hey, it's a big deal in the Buddha's life. There are also other pediments showing scenes like Sujata offering rice-milk to the Buddha-to-be and the subjugation of an elephant named Nalagiri. I guess even elephants need to learn some manners! As we explore further, you'll notice that the temple stands on a three-tiered basement, 6 meters high in total. That's like three really tall basketball players stacked on top of each other! The central chamber, which opens up to the four cardinal directions, is surrounded by classical ornamentations. Unfortunately, time hasn't been too kind to those ornaments, so you might have to use your imagination a bit. Think of it as a temple DIY restoration project! Now, if you look around, you'll see bits and pieces of pediments scattered around. Some are even taken away for safe-keeping. But don't worry, the ones that are still visible are quite impressive. You'll see Indra, the king of the gods, riding on his trusty elephant Airavata, and even a dramatic battle between the demoniac army of Mara. It's like an ancient action movie, but with stone actors! As a fun twist, there's now a Buddhist monastery near the temple. So don't be surprised if you come across some friendly monks during your visit. Remember, they're not part of the tour, but feel free to give them a friendly wave. Well, that's Preah Palilay for you! A temple that's full of surprises, mystery, and a little bit of temple time travel. So let's keep moving and explore more of this enchanting city together!

So, the Royal Palace was first built by King Suryavarman I and was used from the 11th to the late 16th century AD. Talk about a long-lasting crib! The area went through many changes and restorations during that time. Recently, excavations have revealed some hidden gems, like a 10th-century temple that was probably used as a residence by a minister named Yasovarman I. Can you imagine living in a temple? Talk about serious devotion to your work! Now, most of the royal palace buildings were made using perishable materials, because they weren't meant for religious purposes. We're talking about leaves, wood, and all that jazz. The actual palace was a rectangular shape and was surrounded by a 5-meter-high laterite wall. This wall stretched 246 meters along the north-south axis and 585 meters along the east-west axis, covering an area of over 14 hectares. That's a lot of space for some royal shenanigans! To enter the palace, there were five sandstone gopuras with steps. Two on the south, two on the north, and the largest one, facing east, was aligned with the Elephant Terrace and the Victory Gate. Talk about a grand entrance! And just to make things interesting, the ground inside the palace was 1.2 meters higher than outside, so they had to build double layers of stone on the entrances. Whoever said "the higher, the better" must've been a fan of this place! One of the highlights here is a massive pond, covering a whopping 5625 square meters. This pond was probably built by King Jayavarman VIII and was surrounded by sandstone. There are 13 tiers of steps that go down about 5.32 meters to the laterite paving. Can you imagine climbing all those steps? It's like a workout with a view! The walls of this palace are just fascinating. They're carved with all sorts of things. In the lower sections, you'll find depictions of marine life, and even heads of cows or horses. Then there are two rows of princes and naga princesses in the middle part, which is similar to the Terrace of the Leper King. And on top of all that, there are winged figures, male, and female guardian figures. It's like a smorgasbord of carvings! And speaking of ponds, there's also an 800 square meter sandstone pond near the east gopura. It's believed to have been part of the first palace. There's even a smaller pond and low terrace to the west of the Large Pond, and they're both connected by a laterite wall. The walls here are adorned with fascinating bas-reliefs of a procession of people, elephants, and horses. It's like a parade on a wall! Now, don't forget to check out the four small sanctuaries. These were constructed in the early phase, and you can tell by their floor level. They open to the west and are parallel to the southeastern part of the Royal Palace. Talk about a secret hideaway! That's the lowdown on the Royal Palace here in Angkor Thom. Stick with me, and we'll keep exploring more amazing sites in this ancient city!

Now, here's a fun fact for you: Legend has it that the king who built this temple, Suryavarman I, used to spend the first watch of every night here with a woman who represented a Nāga. Talk about a royal date night, huh? Not even the queen was allowed to intrude during this time. If you ask me, it's good to have some alone time, but that's taking it to the next level! Speaking of legends, let's talk about the importance of the naga, the supreme landowner of Khmer land. If this mystical creature didn't show up for a night, it was said that the king's days were numbered. On the other hand, if the king himself didn't show up, well, let's just say calamity would strike his land. Talk about pressure! I hope they had a good alarm clock to make sure they both showed up. Now, just imagine how grand this temple must have looked back in the day. It was originally crowned with a golden pinnacle, shining bright like a star in the sky. Zhou Daguan, a traveler who visited here in 1297 CE, described it in his writings as a magnificent sight. So take a moment to soak it all in as you explore Phimeanakas. Imagine the king and the Nāga enjoying their nightly watch, and maybe even feel a little royal yourself. Don't worry, though, you don't have to spend the whole night here. We still have more amazing stops to discover together. So let's keep moving and head to our next adventure!

First off, this terrace is located in the northwest corner of the Royal Square of Angkor Thom. It's a pretty unique spot because it was built in the Bayon style under the rule of King Jayavarman VII. But here's the twist - it's actually named after an 8th-century sculpture found here. And you won't believe why they called it the "Leper King!" Legend has it that the sculpture got its name because it looked like a person with leprosy. Discoloration and moss growing on it made it quite a sight! But wait, it gets even better. There's a Cambodian legend about King Yasovarman I who also had leprosy. So, people started calling this sculpture the "Leper King." Isn't that funny? But here's the thing, the Cambodians actually know him as Dharmaraja. That's because the name "Dharmaraja" was etched at the bottom of the original statue. So, we've got two names for the king: the Leper King and Dharmaraja. Quite a personality! Now, some people think that this U-shaped structure might have been used as a royal cremation site. Can you imagine that? A place where kings were laid to rest! It's like a final resting place fit for a king, or in this case, the Leper King. Oh, and here's a little fun fact bonus for you: did you know that there's a play called "The Terrace of the Leper King" written by Yukio Mishima? It's actually his final play before his death in 1970. The play revolves around King Jayavarman VII and his battle against the Chams. As the construction of the temple progresses, the king's skin starts showing signs of leprosy. Talk about dramatic! Well, that wraps up our time at the Terrace of the Leper King. I hope you enjoyed this quirky stop on our tour. Let's move on to the next exciting location, shall we?

Ah, the Terrace of the Elephants! Welcome to the grand finale of our tour. Now, let me tell you about this magnificent landmark. Picture this: You're a victorious king, Jayavarman VII, returning from battle with your army. You're feeling pretty important and you need a platform to show off, right? Well, that's exactly what the Terrace of the Elephants was for! It was like the ultimate VIP balcony, attached to the palace of Phimeanakas. Now, here's the funny thing about this terrace - most of it has disappeared over time. It was mainly made of materials that didn't last, so all we have left are the foundation platforms. But fear not, my friends, because what remains is still stunning! The highlight of the terrace is its eastern face, where you'll find truly impressive carvings of elephants. Hence the name, Terrace of the Elephants! Those ancient Khmer people sure loved their elephants, didn't they? This enormous terrace stretches for a whopping 350 meters! Can you imagine the view from up there? It served as a fancy reviewing stand for all sorts of public ceremonies. It was also the base for the king's grand audience hall. Talk about a power move! Oh, and let's not forget about the outworks. There are five of them, three in the center and one at each end, extending towards the Central Square. The middle section of the retaining wall is decorated with majestic garuda and fierce lions. Towards the ends, you'll see the famous parade of elephants. Yup, complete with their Khmer Mahouts, the elephant trainers. So, my dear traveler, take a moment to soak in the grandeur of the Terrace of the Elephants. It's a place where kingly triumphs were celebrated, and history was made.