The Temples: Day 2

Hindu Temples

The Hindu temples we visited predates the Buddhist temples nearby. They were built in the 10th century either on natural or artificial hills. Until Hindus arrived from India in and around the 5th or 6th century, no religion was practiced in Cambodia. Buddism soon became the dominant religion, however, and based their temples on the Hindu design, but on flat land. Hinduism still maintains a strong influence in the Khmer culture where some Hindu rituals are practice alongside those of the Buddhist faith.

Phimeanakas temple

The Phimeanakas temple was built like a pyramid and sits at the center of the Royal Palace of Angkor Tom or Terrace of the Elephants.

Part of the Terrace of the Elephants

On the Terrace of Elephants

The Baphuon temple is a rather large structure, referred to as a Temple Mountain. with its towers, it is estimated to have stood about 164 ft tall. Without the towers, it is about 114 feet tall. The base measures approximately 984'x656'. The temple sits to the right or south of the Royal Palace and was the state temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. 

The Baphuon temple