Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The rectangular outer wall, which measures 1025m by 800m, has a gate on each side,
but the main entrance, a 235m-wide porch richly decorated with carvings and sculptures,
is on the western side. There is a statue of Vishnu, 3.25m in height and hewn from a single
block of sandstone, located in the right-hand tower. Vishnu's eight arms hold a mace, a
spear, a disc, a conch and other items. You may also see locks of hair lying about. These
are offerings both from young people preparing to get married and from pilgrims giving
thanks for their good fortune.
An avenue, 475m long and 9.5m wide and lined with
naga
balustrades, leads from the
main entrance to the central temple, passing between two graceful libraries (restored by a
Japanese team) and then two pools, the northern one a popular spot from which to watch
the sun rise.
The central temple complex consists of three storeys, each made of laterite, which en-
close a square surrounded by intricately interlinked galleries. The Gallery of a Thousand
Buddhas (Preah Poan) was used to house hundreds of Buddha images before the war, but
many of these were removed or stolen, leaving just the handful we see today.
The corners of the second and third storeys are marked by towers, each topped with
symbolic lotus-bud towers. Rising 31m above the third level and 55m above the ground is
the central tower, which gives the whole grand ensemble its sublime unity.
The stairs to the upper level are immensely steep, because reaching the kingdom of the
gods was no easy task. Also known as Bakan, the upper level of Angkor Wat was closed
to visitors for several years, but it is once again open to a limited number per day with a
timed queuing system. This means it is once again possible to complete the pilgrimage
with an ascent to the summit: savour the cooling breeze, take in the extensive views and
then find yourself a quiet corner in which to contemplate the symmetry and symbolism of
this Everest of temples.
