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Cambodia

Ancient Architectural History

Influences
Geographical, Geological, Climatic -region of Southern Indo China -covers the area of Mekong River delta and China to the south, and Mid eastern Mekong region, bordering the Gulf of Siam, Vietnam and Laos -Timber was the principal building material in the delta area, laterite, sandstone and terracotta brick in the hinterland -Cooling rain and wind of the southwest monsoon cools the tropical humid heat

Social and Historical


Funamese Period ( 3rd C AD) Indo China composed of the states that became Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam Later Funamese and early Kmer Period (7th-8th C) characterized by political confusion and war Early classical Khmer (9th C) foundation of the Angkor Kingdom. Indravarman (877-99) built the Bakong, the first stone temple in the grand Khmer was arictocratic- Intellectual oligarchy with a middle class of craftsmen and a menial working class

Social, Historical
Transitional Classical Khmer Period (10th -11th C) creation of other capital cities. -Yajnavahara built Banteay Srei ( Citadel for women), the most beautiful of Khmer temples, -Ta Keo- first temple to be built of sandstone by Suryavarman Classical Khmer Period (12th-13th C) -Suryavarman II- built the great Temple city of Angkor Vatthe supreme achievement of the Khmer genius, architectural expression of god-king ideal -also built Angkor Thom

Religion
Pre Kmer - Belief in the sacred mountain, the Naga princess( water spirit), ancestor worship were fused with the Indian religious beliefs of the kings - Hinduism - Buddhism Khmer period- cult of Deva- Raja, the God King, worshipped in the form of Siva

Architectural Character
5th C AD- Wooden houses on piles, connected by little canals to larger waterways capable of taking sea going ships 7th-8th C bricks and stones replaced wooden structures but imitated timber prototypes - Mixture of Indian forms and native elements, rich decorative sculptures harbinger of the exuberant Angkor ornamental art Early Classical Khmer - City was surrounded by ,moats and artificial lakes - Javanese influence in the emphasis upon the temple mountain and the concept of the god king - Raising of the temple cella to the summit of the stepped pyramid

Character
Classical Khmer - 3 important architectural events a. Creation of the city temple mountain in 800 Ad on the Hill of Phnom Kulen b. Building of another capital in the Hill of Phnom Bakeng- 5 levelled pyramid, Town plan- walled rectangle Temple at the center intersection of the principal avenues Moated entrance Main gate facing west c. Contruction pof Roluos, Angkor- the archetypal Khmer urban irrigation system. Baray Lolei- artificial lake formed by earthen dikes to store water from the river flowing into a system of moats and waterways

Character
Transitional Classical Khmer -Baksei Chamkrong, Angkor- first to be built in stone ( laserite) in pyramidal terrace from the ground -Koh Ker-a constructed artificial lake -Ta Keo- completed in 1010, five terraces with five colossal towers Classical Khmer -Khmer Architecture a. Grandeur of conception b. Brilliant landscaping c. Unsurpassed town planning in strictly formal sense d. Exuberant sculptural decoration on grandiose scale but with exquisite refinement -stone was used like wood -stone with wood reinforcements -corbelled vaulting for short spans -domination of architecture by sculpture

Architectural Examples
Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple complex in the world. The temple was built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura (Khmer, present-day Angkor), the capital of theKhmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Breaking from theShaivism tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat viewed from across the moat

Angkor Thom-"the great city" in Khmer. The 12th-century royal Buddhist city is especially famed for its grand Bayon Temple, but has several other sights of interest as well View of Bayon Temple. Photo Kiran Jonnalagadda.

Faces of Avalokiteshvara at Bayon temple. Photo Jonathan Lewis.

Angkor Thom
One of five gates with Hindu gods
and demons. Public domain. The Phimeanakas Gate. Photo Bentley Smith.

Angkor Thom
Carved reliefs on a temple of

Angkor Thom. Photo Atif Gulzar.


The South Gate Pool. Photo Bentley Smith.

Bakong Temple
This view is from the west, which is the "back" of the temple (the main entrance is east).

Bakong is the state temple of Indravarman I (877-886) at Hariharalaya (modern Roluos), dedicated to Shiva as Indreshvara ("Lord Indra," the personal god of Indravarman, whose name means "Protected by Indra"). Its base is a great five-tiered pyramid (closeup, from the east entrance), 65m x 67m (214' x 220'), perhaps representing the five earthly realms of snakes (nagas), birds (garudas), demons (rakshasas), nature-spirits (yakshas), and kings (rajas). The original tower's fate is unknown; it was later replaced, possibly by Yasovarman II (1150-1165), by an incongruous tower in Angkor Wat style which sticks up like a sore thumb above the much earlier base.

Ta Keo Temple

King Jayavarman V ruled from 968 to 1001. Sometime during his reign, Jayavarman took up residence on the east side of the East Baray, and moved the capital to the west bank. He must have traveled back and forth to it by boat. Around the year 975, work was begun on Ta Keo temple in the center of the new capital. Ta Keo was actually called 'Hemasringagiri' or 'the mountain with golden peaks,' meaning Mount Meruthe sacred peak of Indian lore. The temple is enormous, rising over 21.6 meters, making it one of the tallest buildings at Angkor. Its base measures 122 by 106 meters, while the outer moat stretched 255 by 195 meters, but has now vanished.

Preah Ko Temple

Preah Ko, which means 'the sacred bull' (Shiva's vehicle Nandi), was built by Indravarman I in 879. It is part of the Roluos group of monuments about 13 kilometers east of Siem Riep. The temple is distinguished from others in the area by the unusual arrangement of its six central towers, which stand in two rows facing east. The three towers on the east side are staggered so that the central tower is slightly further to the west. This tower is dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu god closely associated with the rule of Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer Empire. The tower to the north was dedicated to the founder of Preah Ko, and the tower to the south was dedicated to the King's father. Each of these shrines once contained a statue, but they were removed at some time in the past.

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