Major Sights and Attractions in/around Phnompenh

Cambodia's modern capital is a vibrant bustling city nestling majestically on the banks of the confluence of the two mighty rivers of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap. These rivers then split again as the Mekong and the Tonle Bassac at a place known to the Khmers as Chaktomuk, meaning four faces. Phnompenh is a veritable oasis compared to the modernity of other Asian capitals. With wide tree-lined boulevards and low-rise buildings Phnompenh still harks back to the colonial days of this former French playground and the many older French colonial buildings, much in evidence, add to the ambiance.

The area surround the Royal Palace has magnificent Khmer towers and remains particularly delightful. There are many open spaces and parks in the center which the locals use for recreation and relaxation. Pedaled rickshaws, called cyclos, still ply the streets as in colonial days and provide an excellent opportunity for sightseeing and people watching as well as the taxi service.

Major Sights and Attractions in/around Phnompenh

Silver Pagoda - Phnom Penh

Silver Pagoda (or the temple of the Emerald Buddha), formerly a wooden building, was rebuilt in 1962 in concrete and marble. The pagoda is floored with over 5000 silver tiles each weighing 1 kilo. It is famous for its 90 kg solid gold Buddha made in 1907 and an emerald Buddha said to be made of baccarant crystal. Sharing the pagoda are many other interesting artifacts and jewels and was one of the few temples to remain intact during the Khmer Rouge regime. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Entrance fee US$ 3 per person. Camera fee US$2. Video fee US$ 5. Photography is allowed in the outside exhibition areas only. Please remember that exposed knees and shoulders are considered disrespectful.

National Museum

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Designed by George Groslier and the Ecole des Arts Cambodgiens the National Museum was built in 1917 in traditional Khmer style and inaugurated in 1920 by King Sisowat. The National Museum houses the world's foremost collection of ancient Khmer archeological, religious, and artistic artifacts from the 4th to the 13th centuries. There are over 5000 pieces and is the repository of the Kingdom's cultural wealth. In addition, the roof space is home to the largest bat colony in the world living in an artificial structure. Every evening these bats flock out of the roof and swarm around in the sky before searching for food. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Photography is forbidden inside.
Royal Palace Phnom Penh - Cambodia

	Unfortunately the royal residence, set back from the riverfront, is closed to visitors but is still visible from the outside and well worth seeing, located as it is between the Silver Pagoda and National Museum.

Wat Phnom (Hill Temple)

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Silver Pagoda | National Museum | The Royal Palace | Wat Phnom | Tuol Sleng Museum | Killing Fields of Choeung Ek | Independence Monument | Tonle Sap Riverfront | National Library | Markets | Mekong Land | Kien Svay | Mo Ha Liep Resort Center | Udong | Phnom Chisor | Tonle Bati / Taphrom Temple Located on a man-made hill twenty seven meters high in the middle of Phnom Penh, Wat Phnom is a revered place of worship for all Khmers and is the namesake of the capital. The original pagoda was built in 1373 to house four Buddha statues said to have been deposited by the waters of the Mekong. The temple is the focal point for many Buddhist ceremonies especially Pchum Ben and his highly revered by Phompenh residents. Wat Phnom has a unique atmosphere and is surrounded by various fortune tellers, mystics, faith healers and elephant rides around the site are available.

Genocidal Tuol Sleng Museum

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Tuol Sleng Museum, known as the Museum of Genocidal Crimes it was used by the Khmer Rouge as a detention and torture center in the late 1970. Today the building houses exhibits, paintings and photographs of many of the victims. Visitors can see the crude cells built in the classrooms and the torture devices used to extract confessions in Stalinesque purges of the regime. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Killing Fields of Cheung Ek

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Killing Fields of Cheung Ek is situated 15 kilometers south-west of Phnom Penh and made famous by the film of the same name "Killing Field". it was a place where more than 17,000 civilians were killed and buried in mass graves; many of them transported here after detention and torture in Toul Sleng. This place is a chilling reminder of the brutalities of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. In the center of the area is a 17 story glass stupa which houses 8000 skulls exhumed from mass graves. Open daily.

Note: Both Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields exhibits may be disturbing for some and aren't suitable for younger children and adults who are easily shocked.

Independence Monument

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Built in 1958 as a memorial to Cambodia's war dead after the gaining of independence from France in 1953, the monument, built in the Angkorian style, consists of five levels decorated with 100 snake heads. It is at its most impressive later in the afternoon with shadows highlighting the complexity of the design and giving the structure a warm orange glow.

Tonle Sap Riverfront

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

The recently refurbished riverfront park is the focal point for the Phnom Penh residents' leisure activities. Early risers can see the many locals welcoming the new day with Tai Chi and other exercises while the sun rises majestically over the river. In the early evening and all day Sunday many people stroll, picnic or just sit and watch the world go by. Local delicacies are served by vendors all along the riverfront and visitors can indulge in dried salted fish or another favorites, boiled duck embryos still in the shell.

National Library

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

It is located next to the Royal Hotel and just West of Wat Phnom. This graceful building, another example of French colonial architecture, built in 1924 and set in floral gardens was sacked by the Khmer Rouge and turned into a stable. Many of the discarded books were picked up by the locals who donated them back to the library after 1979. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2:30 to 5 p.m.

Markets in Phnom Penh

Cambodia

Of the more a dozen markets in Phnom Penh many of them are little interest to visitors, selling, as they do, general household purchases in many of the districts of the city. There are, however, several centrally located markets of real interest to shoppers, browsers, and souvenir hunters alike. Be warned that nothing is priced and bargaining is a must.

Central Market is one of the largest and busiest markets in Phnom Penh. Built in 1937 by French architects and surprisingly cool, even in the heat of the hottest day, many interesting products are available. The eastern side, which is the main entrance, has many souvenirs and ornaments on sale from T-shirts to large stone heads. In the center are the many jewelry stores and precious stone vendors as well as a plethora of electronic goods merchants, cloth sellers and other dealers; most of them selling thing considerably cheap.

Toul Tom Pong Market (or Russian Market) is probably the city's best source of objects d'art. Items for sale include wooden and stone carvings, various ritual objects, silverware, and old Indochinese notes and coins. There is a large range of antiquities and curios for those prepared to ferret around the various stalls and there are also gold and silversmiths inside the market who can be seen custom making jewelry. This too is a good source of both Cambodian and Chinese Silk and Clothes. This is one of the most popular markets in Phnom Penh with foreign residents and tourists who can spend many an interesting hour browsing before choosing the perfect gift.

O'Russei Market on the North side of the Olympic Stadium is a typical Cambodian market catering to the every needs of the populace. Here the sights and smells of this market give the visitor the feel of a local market with many house-wives still purchasing their foodstuffs on a daily basis. This market is full of local character and one can only imagine the banter that takes place between all the vendors and customers. Here, is one of the best selections of the different types of fruit from all over the region, though the choice, naturally, depends on the season.

Olympic Market is probably one of the cheapest markets in town with lots of whole-saling going on here. It was renovated and re-opened in 1994 as a three story modern building with reportedly Cambodia's only escalators.

Mekong Land

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

A full day trip to Mekong Island is an excellent way to sample the daily lives and traditions of rural life in Cambodia. This ten hectare island has been planned as an authentic showcase of the cultural, zoological, and agricultural diversity and richness of Cambodia. The tour price includes transport, excellent lunch and a captivating show of traditional Cambodian dance. There are also elephant rides available on very friendly Asian elephants

Kien Svay

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Eighteen kilometers away from Phnom Penh, Kien Svay is the definitive Cambodian leisure resort. Every weekend many Phnom Penh residents get away from it all and relax by the water. Here they rent "Water Houses", covered platforms built on stilts sunk into the river, and picnic on the water. They are accessible by boat and the platform owners take you there and back. There are also relaxing boat cruises that take you around the resort area.

Mohabieb Resort Center

The recreation area is out of Phnom Penh on the route to Kien Svay. This is a large park where 70 kinds of fruit trees have been planted with all of them being labeled in English and Khmer. There is a large swimming pool and Khmer food is served daily.

Udong

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

An ancient capital from the latter stages of the Khmer Empire and crowning site of the king is located atop two parallel ridges 40 km north of Phnom Penh. Udong offers spectacular views of the surrounding country and the innumerable sugar palm trees that punctuate the countryside. King Ang Dung, the great grandfather of the present king; King Sihanouk, was crowned here and many locals and foreign residents alike picnic here on weekends.

Phnom Chisor

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

This ancient Khmer temple stands on an 80 by 100 km square plateau and faces East. Constructed in the 11th century of laterite and bricks with carved sandstone lintels, the complex is surrounded by the partially ruined walls of a two and a half meter wide gallery with inward facing windows. As with the other hilltop temples there are spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and Phnom Chisor makes an ideal excursion combined with Tonle Bati/Ta Prohm Temple

Tonle Bati / Ta Phrom

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Not far South of Phnom Penh on the route to Phnom Chisor is a 12th Century temple, Ta Prohm, built by Jayavaraman VII (1181-1201). Consecrated to the Buddha and the Brahma, the temple is noted for its refined bas reliefs. Nearby is a smaller temple, Yeay Peau, which also has remarkable stone carvings. Near Ta Prohm is a small lake, Tonle Bati, which is similar to Kien Svay as a leisure resort though on a smaller scale. Again there are "Water Houses" for rent and various food stalls.

Siemreap and Angkor

The town of Siem Reap, the provincial capital, is a pleasant sleepy backwater serving as a base for visitors to the ancient capital of Angkor. With the recent completion of international standard hotels including the renovation of the famous Grand Hotel D'Angkor, the more than one hundred ancient temples and monuments in the vicinity can be enjoyed in style and comfort. Well organized guided tours ensure visitors make the most of their holidays regardless of length of stay. Though not essential, a well informed professional guide will enhance any tour, providing insight and history often not available in guide books. Many of the temples and best viewed at different times of the day due to their geographical orientation and the angle of the sun.

Cambodia - Southern Coast

Kampot

The pretty riverine town of Kampot is just five kilometers from the sea and serves the very popular seaside resort of Kep. Once a fashionable haunt of the French elite, it was known as La Perle de la Cote d' Agathe and has stunning offshore islands and a beautiful bay, King Sihanouk owned one of these islands and would often use it for entertaining. This region is famous for its production of durian, the foul smelling fruit, and reputedly has the best seafood in the country.

Kompong Som (Sihanoukville)

Kompong Som, Cambodia's only maritime port is 232 kilometers from Phnompenh and accessible via one of the best inter-provincial roads in the country. Kompong Som is not only a seaport but an area famous for its picture-postcard tropical beaches. Situated as it is on a headland, visitors can choose from a range of beaches, several of which can often remain completely deserted. The most popular are Ochatial beach and Sokha Beach due their immediacy to the town.

Local fishermen will take visitors to any one of the nearby islands where the coral, teeming with tropical fish, is perfect for snorkeling, diving, and fishing. There are many restaurants catering to various national tastes but its well worth trying the freshly caught crab, shrimps and other seafood the region has to offer.

The resort was established in 1964 and can be visited all year round to appreciate the warm sands, cool breezes and clear blue skies.

Bokor Hill Station

In keeping with the colonial practices of the time, many of the French elite, unwilling to become accustomed to the heat of Cambodian summer, retreated to the Bokor Hill Station set in the Elephant Mountains. At an elevation of just over 1000m it is famous for its pleasant climate, clear streams and tranquil surroundings. Visitors will be taken in by the stunning panoramas, forested vistas and breathtaking views of the sea. The best time to visit is between November and May.

Angkor Wat Tours (Siemreap)

Cambodia Travel

Enjoy your holiday in Cambodia with fascinating tour packages to the glorious Angkor Wat temples in Siemreap, Cambodia
Angkor Wat Stopover Tour - 2 Days / 1 Night This stopover tour to Angkor Wat is suitable for travelers who has limited time to visit this magnificent temples and its surrounding. Angkor Wat - Bayon - Siemreap (Cambodia) - 3 Days / 2 Nights Travel to Siemreap and sightseeing around Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (Bayon) and other Khmer temples in 3 days. Angkor Wat - Angkor Thom - Tonle Sap Lake - 4 Days / 3 Nights Discover Cambodia with travel to Siemreap and visit the great Angkor temples such as Angkor Wat, Bayon, Elephant Terrace, etc. You will enjoy a scenic boat trip along the Tonle Sap Lake to see the fishermen's villages. Angkor Wat - Tonle Sap - Banteay Srei - 5 Days / 4 Nights This Cambodia Tour portrays the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (Bayon), Elephant Terrace, Phnom Bakhem and many more with the boat trip along the world's largest inland Tonle Sap Lake. Visit Banteay Srei, a renowned Khmer temples in Cambodia.
Angkor Wat - Tonle Sap - Banteay Srei - Ethnic Village - 6 Days / 5 Nights Travel to glorious Angkor temples in Cambodia with tours to Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (Bayon), Terrace of Elephant, Grand and Small Circuits, Banteay Srei. Cruise along the world's largest inland lake of Tonle Sap in Cambodia to see the floating fisherman's villages. Coming to the closer touch with Cambodian people to see the local ethnic village.

Cambodia Travel - Angkor Wat Tours

This Cambodia Tours section covers the trip to Angkor Wat and other Khmer Temples with sightseeing in Phnompenh to Cheung Ek Killing Field and genocidal Tuol Sleng Museum.

Cambodia Travel: Angkor Wat - Phnompenh 4 Days - 3 Nights Visit to one of the world's greatest wonders, the Angkor Wat and excursion around Phnompenh Angkor Wat - Bayon - Grand Circuits - Phnompenh 5 Days - 4 Nights Take your trip to Cambodia in 5 days with 2 nights in Angkor (Siemreap) and 2 nights in Phnompenh with excursion to the main attractions. Angkor Wat (Siemreap) - Bayon - Roluos Group - Tonle Sap - Phnompenh 6 Days - 5 Nights Travel to Cambodia and visit the main attractions in Siemreap such as the magnificent Angkor Wat, Bayon, Baphoun, Elephant Terrace, Grand and Small Circuits, Roluos Group. Enjoy beautiful cruising around the world's largest inland lake of Tonle Sap. Apart from touring the Angkor or Khmer temples, you will travel to Phnompenh which is a capital of Cambodia. Sightseeing around the city to the renowned places such as Cheung Ek Killing Fields, genocidal Tuol Sleng Museum, Silver Pagoda and more. Angkor Wat - Angkor Thom - Tonle Sap - Banteay Srei - Phnompenh 7 Days - 6 Nights Exclusive Cambodia Tours to Angkor Wat and the Khmer temples, with boat trip along Tonle Sap Lake. Visit of Banteay Srei, Rolous Group with cruise to Phnompenh. Sightseeing around the city to the Cheung Ek Killing Field and genocidal Tuol Sleng Museum. Cambodia Tours: Angkor Wat - Bayon - Banteay Srei - Tonle Sap - Phnompenh (Killing Field) 8 Days - 7 Nights Discover Cambodia with the trip to Siemreap and excursion around the fascinating to Angkor Wat and other Khmer temples of Angkor Thom, Baphoun, Phnom Bakheng, Banteay Srei, Roluos Group, Grand and Small Circuits, with scenic cruise around Tonle Sap Lake. Onward trip to tour around the capital of Phnompenh to see Tuol Sleng and Cheung Ek Killing Field.

Travel to Cambodia with tours to Angkor Wat, Bayon, Elephant Terrace, Rolous Group, Tonle Sap, Banteay in Siemreap and Wat Phnom, Silver Pagoda in Phnompenh
	Cambodia Tours: Phnompenh - Angkor Wat 3 days This fascinating Cambodia Tours take you to visit the main attraction in Phnompenh such as Silver Pagoda, Wat Phnom, museum before travel to the glorious Angkor Temples in Siemreap. Cambodia Discovery Tours - 4 days Discover Cambodia - visit to Phnompenh and the surrounding before taking the boat trip to Siemreap. Sightseeing around the great Angkor Wat temples. Cambodia Exclusive Tours - 5 days Travel to Cambodia with excursion of its main capital. Continue to Siemreap by scenic river cruise and tour around the Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (Bayon), Rolous Group and Tonle Sap Lake. Premier Cambodia Tours - 6 days Besides touring of Phnompenh, you will enjoy visiting the magnificent Angkor Wat Temples, Bayon, Elephant Terrace, Scenic boat trip around the world's largest inland lake of Tonle Sap, and the formerly forbidden Banteay Srei. Explore Cambodia and the glorious Angkor Wat 7 days Explore the charm of Cambodia in 7 days to Phnompenh and Siemreap. Tour around Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphoun, Phnom Bakeng, Grand and Small Circuits, Elephant Terrace, Banteay Srei, Ethnic Village, and floating fisherman village of Tonle Sap.

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Cambodia Map

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Cambodia Chronology

Years	Kings of Khmer	Major Events and Construction
1st-7th Century A.D.	-	Funan Civilization
550 A.D.	-	Chenla's Independence from Funan
613	-	Chenla's conquest of Funan
657-681	Jayavarman I	-
7th century	-	Division of Chenla Kingdom and invasion of Java Empire
802-834	Jayavarman II	Founder of Angkor Empire
834-877	Jayavarman III	Prei Monti temple
877-889	Indravarman I	Move capital to Roluos; construct monuments such as Preah Ko, and Bakong (Roluos)
889-910	Yasovarman I	Move capital from Roluos to Yasodharapura with Phnom Bakheng as the capital center; construction: Lolei, Phnom Bakheng, Eastern Baray
910-923	Harshavarman I	Monument: Baksei Chamkrong and Prasat Kravan
923-928	Isanavarman II	-
928-941	Jayavarman IV	Built a new capital of Koh Ker
941-944	Harshavarman II	-
944-968	Rajendravarman II	Khmer sacked Champa. Construction of Eastern Mebon and Pre Rup
968-1000	Jayavarman V	Construction of Banteay Srei and Takeo
1001-1002	Udayadityavarman I	-
1002-1010	Jayaviravarman	-
1010-1050	Suryavarman I	Struggle for power to succeed the throne with Suryavarman I's victory
1050-1066	Udayadityavarman II	Construction of Baphoun, Western Mebon, and Western Baray
1066-1080	Harshavarman III	-
1080-1107	Jayavarman VI	Built Phimai temple
1107-1113	Dharanindravarman I	-
1113-1150	Suryavarman II	Construction of Angkor Wat, Beng Melea, Banteay, Samre, Chey Say Tevoda, Thommanon
1150-1160	Dharanindravarman II	-
1160-1165	Yasovarman II	-
1165-1181	Tribhuvanadityavarman	Chams defeat Angkor in 1177
1181-1219	Jayavarman VII	Angkor expelled Chams; extensive construction of roads and monuments such as Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Phrom, Banteay Kdei, Neak Pean, Sras Srang, etc
1219-1243	Indravarman II	-
1243-1295	Jayavarman VIII	Mass Destruction of Buddha statues; Kublai Khan' Mongol invaded Angkor's border
1295-1309	Srindravarman	Zhou Daguan visits Angkor between 1296-1297
1309-1431	Minor reigns	Angkor Sacked by Thai Army; Glory of Ankgor ends in 1431
1432-1859	-	Dark period of Angkor (rare historical accounts found)
1860	-	Re-discovery of Angkor by Henri Mouhot
1863	-	Cambodia became a French Colony
1907	-	Siemreap (Angkor) and Battambang, previously Thai's territory, fell into the French hand.
1908	-	Angkor Conservancy established by French
1908-1972	-	Archaeological study and restoration of Angkor temples
1972	-	Archeological activities stopped as civil war broke up
1975-1979	-	Reign of Terror by Khmer Rouge
1979-1990	-	Political unrest in Cambodia
1990-2000	-	Modern Cambodia

Historical Background

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Rise and Fall of Angkor Civilization History of Cambodia

Reasons for the rise of Angkor Empire 1) The adoption of Indian doctrines of deva-raja or "god-king" The ancient Khmer kings adopted a successful monarchy system of Indian civilization as the replica. Being revered as the "god-king" or deva-raja, the Khmer kings were able to rule over the empire with divine kingship and absolute power. This enhanced the kings to mobilize large manpower to serve in its military force to defend the nation as well as to invade the neighbors. In addition, the kings could maintain their extensive irrigation system which was the prime factor of its successful economy with their Khmer laborers and foreign slaves. Moreover, the kings surrounded themselves with the wise men or the "learned" Khmer Brahmins as their counselors. The Brahmins were known to have acquire vast knowledge which were inherited from father to sons or taught only within the family. These learned Brahmins help the kings to run an efficient administration of the country, and thus resulted in stronger empire. 2) Strategic Location Well-chosen strategic location of the Angkor by its founder Jayavarman II hampered the attack by its potential enemies which enable its existence for over 6 centuries. The Angkor was situated in the North of Tonle Sap Lake, and the only possible way for invaders to bring in a large enough troop to fight against the Angkor is by sailing upstream from the Mekong River. Geographically, the Angkor was protected by rugged thick forests from all sides. There were no well-developed roads, and the land access with large military force could turn out into a tragedy. The troops and weapons had to be delivered in a long line which could not support one another in case of being attack. A good example is the Persian invasion to the Greeks during the 4th and 5th B.C. Greece for instance was protected by high mountains. Although the Persian was far more superior and much more in number, it could hardly win over the Greeks. When the enemies intended to attack the Angkor, they have to sail up from the Mekong River only to meet with the strong naval force of Angkor upstream. The enemy's battle ships moved slower thus became an easier target of being attacked and sunk. Throughout the history of over 600 years, Angkor lose only one major naval battle on Tonle Sap Lake to Champa in 1171. 3) Mastery over Water Control The geographical location of the Angkor Empire itself faces two extreme seasons, i.e. the heavy rainfall during Monsoon and the dry period during the off-Monsoon season. Numerous large reservoirs, dikes, moats and ponds helped significantly to prevent floods over the farmland during the heavy rainfall in Monsoon and to conserve water storage for use during the dry season. The efficient and extensive irrigation system of the ancient Khmer enabled the empire to cultivate crops two to three times a year which led to high productivity and strong economy of the Angkor Empire. Reasons for the Fall of Angkor Civilization 1) Introduction of Theravada Buddhism The pillar of the Angkor Civilization was supported by the religious belief of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism. The monarchs being regarded as the god-king were able to motivate the dedication of their people to serve the throne as a divine service. The empire's extensive irrigation system and military troops required massive laborers and manpower to maintain. The introduction of Theravada Buddhism in 13th century to the Khmers had turned out to hurt sublimely the basic foundation of the Angkor Empire in the long run. Theravada Buddhism taught the people to seek self-enlightenment, abandon worldly things and discourage any superstition belief which directly or indirectly means all deities and all evils. The sovereignty of the Angkorian monarch as a "god-king" or deva-raja was basically challenged. 2) Loss of Water Control Less devotion of the people to the "god-king" led negative impact to the empire. The Khmers seem unwilling to work wholeheartedly for the king as a holy service as they had previously did. The formerly efficient irrigation and drainage system became silted up with less water supply and the rice crops, used to be cultivated two or three times a year, were dramatically dropped, thus weaken the productivity and the strength of the Angkor Empire. 3) External Threats As neighboring states of the Angkor grew, they became a major threat to the empire, especially the Thai State of Ayuthaya in the Chaophaya River Basin to the West. In order to protect the empire, the Angkor had to direct portion of its manpower to secure strong armed forces, which in turn, deprived itself from giving good maintenance to its irrigation system. 4) Double-edged sword of Roads Network The road network built by Jayavarman VII had aided the transports of products and trades throughout the empire and also facilitated the Khmer troops to quell its neighbors. It had became a double-edged sword when the Angkor became weak as the invaders could easily marched in through this road network, instead of previously sailing up from the Mekong River. This turned out to be true when the newly emerged Ayuthaya, a Thai kingdom in the West became stronger. They use this road to march from the Chaophaya River basin through Phnomrung (in Burirum of modern Thailand) and then through Aranyapathet to attack right at the heart of Angkor and finally sacked the empire in 1431. The glory of the Angkor Civilization was terminated since that time.

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Khmer history

Angkor Era - Part I

(834 - 1000 A.D)

History of Cambodia

Jayavarman III (834 - 877 A.D.)

After the death of the first Khmer king, his son Jayavarman III succeeded the throne and reigned for about 40 years. Little account was known about this king, except his story of hunting the white elephants in two circumstances and he could probably build the Prei Monti temple.

Indravarman I (877-889 A.D.)

He was the third king of the Angkor kingdom after Jayavarman III, and was regarded as the first great builder of the Khmer king. How Indravarman I ascended the throne still remains in mystery as he did not seem to have any connection with the two former kings. Indravarman I was a strong man, expanding his territory vigorously throughout Cambodia and moving his capital from Harilaraya to Roluos, about thirteen kilometers east of the present Siemreap town.

Indravarman I built at least two primitive Khmer temples, namely the Preah Ko temple, devoted for his royal ancestral spirits, and the Bakong, a mountain temple dedicated for the Hindu gods. These two temples with another later one Lolei are collectively known as the Roluos Group, and their architecture was more or less a pioneer to the later temples of the Angkor civilization. Indravarman I also built a large reservoir named Indratataka.

Yasovarman I (889 - 910 A.D.)

After succeeding the throne in 889 A.D, Yasovarman I built a new Angkor capital called Yasodharapura, located not far away from Roluos on the vast plain of Siemreap and about eight kilometers north of the the Great Lake Tonle Sap. At the center of this capital was the Phnom Bakeng Hill on top of which a temple was built with its galleries branching out in four directions to represent the heavenly residence of Hindu gods with the central Mount Meru and the other four sacred peaks.

Yasovarman I built one of the largest reservoirs in the Angkor Kingdom known as East Baray or "Yasohodharataka", with a length of 7.5 kilometers, a width of 1.83 kilometer and approximate depth of 4-5 meters. The water capacity of East Baray was estimated at 55 million cubic meters, and this water was used to irrigate over 8,000 hectares of farmland. Sanskrit inscriptions were found on the stele at each corner of the East Baray to praise the Hindu goddess Ganga, being revered in India as the river-mother goddess of the great Ganges River.

About half a kilometer south of East Baray, Yasovarman I built four ashramas which were the retreating residence of the serious religious believers. Apart from carrying out religious practice, each abbot of the ashramas was found to be somewhat like the manager of the king to help in controlling the water of the East Baray.

Today the East Baray is completely dry, and the four ashramas disappear. The Pre Rup temple was built on top of one of these ashramas.

Harshavarman I (910 - 923 A.D.) and Isanavarman II (923 - 928 A.D)

After the death of Yasovarman I, his son Harshavarman I became the next king who ruled over the Angkor for more than a decade. The two monuments built during Harshavarman I were the Baksei Chamkrong, a laterite temple north-east of Phnom Bakheng, and Prasat Kravan, built of bricks dedicated to god Vishnu. The reign was followed by his brother Isanavarman II whose historical record was null.

Jayavarman IV ( 928 - 941 A.D.)

Possibly Jayavarman IV descended from the different maternal line of his preceding king and already held some power at Koh Ker since 921 A.D. When Isanavarman II died in 928, Jayavarman IV ascended the throne and move the capital to his town of Koh Ker which was about 90 kilometers north of the Angkor. At his new capital, Jayavarman IV had constructed an obscure Rahal Baray, untraditionally lying north-south direction, and difficult to engineer. It seems that the sandstone was first introduced as the building materials of the Khmer monuments during this time, as the 7-story pyramid built by this king as his state temple was made up of sandstones. Koh Ker remained as the capital for a short period of about 15 years.

Harshavarman II (941 - 944 A.D)

He was the son of Jayavarman IV, but was not the designated crown prince. Harshavarman II ascended the throne by force with the help of his cousin who later would become the next king. During the reign of Harshavarman II, repetitive unrests and rebels broke out and could possibly cause the death of this king.

Rajendravarman II (944 - 968 A.D.)

As soon as Harshavarman II died, his cousin Rajendravarman II grasped the power and mounted the throne. He returned to Angkor as his capital, and started to build the mountain-temple of Pre Rup which was sited on top the ashramas installed by Yasovarman I.

Attaining his kingship in an unrighteous way, Rajendravarman II encountered difficulties in keeping his crown as successive rebellions from his rivals occurred during his reign. To acquire strong supports, Rajendravarman II reordered the state by dividing the kingdom into vishaya or provinces whose rulers were his loyal chieftains.

Interestingly, a new myth of Khmer ancestors - Kambu and Mera, first appeared in the stone inscription during this time and was totally different from that of Brahmin Kaundinya and naga princess Soma. This myth praised the legendary Kambu's couple exorbitantly as the Khmer ancestors and the word "Kambuja" means the descendant of Kambu. Probably this legend had been in existence for a long time since the period of Chenla, but was first picked up by Rajendravarman II as his ancestors since he needed some sort of medium to persuade the people of his right to the throne.

Evidently, Rajendravarman II had a strong military power as he did not only wage civil war with his rivals, but even sacked the Champa Kingdom located to the east in modern Vietnam and the Thai tribal states to the west.

Jayavarman V (968 - 1000 A.D.)

He was the son of Rajendravarman II and succeeded the supreme throne after his father in 968 A.D. Jayavarman V had to fight vigorously with other princes in order to maintain his kingship. For some reasons, he built a new capital at the vicinity of Angkor and named it "Jayendranagari" with the meaning of "the Capital of the Triumphant Monarch", which implied his victory over the enemies. During his reign, two major complex were constructed, i.e. Banteay Srei and Takeo.

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Angkor Era - Part III

(1181 - 1309 A.D)

History of Cambodia

Udayadityavarman I (1001 - 1002 A.D.) & Jayaviravarman (1002 - 1010 A.D.)

When Jayavarman V passed away in 1000 A.D., the historical account of his royal family disappeared with the emergence of the new king named Udayadityavarman I, who became the king through violent conflict. He ruled only for a few years before being ousted and killed in 1002. This was followed by the struggle of power of the two princes, Jayaviravarman and Suryavarman I. The former prince ascended the supreme throne in 1002, but his regime was consistently challenged by his rival Suryavarman I, who successfully overthrew king in 1010. During this decade of civil war, no significant monument was built.

Suryavarman I (1010 - 1050 A.D.)

His reign was rather long but not very smooth, and Suryavarman I spent much of his time and energy to defend his kingship. He was the first king who built his palace surrounded by the wall in order to fortify himself from being attacked and this palace was situated in the vicinity of later Angkor Thom. Suryavarman I proclaimed to be the descendant of Brahmin Kaundinya and princess Soma. Later in 1022 A.D, Suryavarman I expanded his territory to the West up to the Lopburi in modern Thailand. The major construction built by this king was the Preah Vihear on the Dangrek Mountain and the Phimeanakas, a modest temple with pyramidal style located near his palace. Suryavarman I also started to build the second Angkor's reservoir, the West Baray which is almost twice as large as the East Baray.

Udayadityavarman II (1050 - 1066 A.D.)

Mounting to the supreme throne after the death of his predecessor, Udayadityavarman II ruled over the Angkor Kingdom without peace. He was not the son of Suryavarman I, but a descendant from the different lineage of Yasovarman I's spouse. The stone inscription during his reign praised one of his faithful general Sangrama who quell several major rebellions for the king. Udayadityavarman II built the renowned Baphoun Temple devoted to god Shiva, however, it appeared that some stone sculptures were also dedicated to Lord Buddha. This king completed the construction of the West Baray started since the time of his former king, and built the West Mebon, a raise-earthen island, in the center of it. A temple dedicated to god Vishnu was constructed on the island, but now had long been vanished. The West Baray is still in use today.

Harshavarman III (1066 - 1080 A.D.)

Following the death of Udayadityavarman II, the new king Harshavarman III who was the former king's older brother, mounted the throne. No monument built by this king was known and there was very few historical account referred to this king, who was believed to die in a violent rebellion.

Jayavarman VI (1080 - 1107 A.D.)

Ascending the throne in 1080 A.D., Jayavarman VI did not seem to have any direct connection with the royal family of the preceding kings. Probably he was from the different maternal sub-lineage, which was too far to entitle his right to the crown. The center of his ancestors' power was more or less to the West of the Angkor in the area of Phimai, now in Thailand. Jayavarman VI claimed to be the descendents of legendary Kambu and Mera, which was different from his immediate predecessors. This could imply that he succeeded the throne through violent conflict.

During his reign, there was rarely any monument built, except the one at the center of his power - the Phimai temple.

Dharanindravarman I (1107 - 1113 A.D.)

Jayavarman VI died in 1107, and the throne was followed by his elder brother Dharanindravarman I. This king was less ambitious as well as less energetic. He was ousted and killed in a civil war which lasted for only one day by his nephew who later became one of the greatest king of the Angkor, Suryavarman II.

Suryavarman II (1113 - 1150 A.D.)

Upon rising to power, Suryavarman II was a highly ambitious Khmer king. He was the great builder of the most impressive temple of Khmer, the Angkor Wat which is one of the World's Wonders with its magnificent architecture. Angkor Wat is a mountain temple dedicated to god Vishnu with five towers linked by galleries to signify the heavenly residence of Hindu gods. It is 65 meters high and the outer rectangular enclosure mesuring 1.5 km by 1.3 km which is surrounded by moat of 200 meters wide. In addition to its remarkable size, Angkor Wat also houses thousands of sculptures and stone carvings which amplify the delicacy of Khmer artworks. It took 37 years to complete the construction of this temple with over 50,000 workforce.

Apart from being a great royal builder, Suryavarman II was also a great warrior. He sacked several Champa states to the east and even waged an unsuccessful war with the strong Ly Dynasty of Vietnam. To the west, he conquered the Haripunjaya Kingdom, one of the Mon tribal states in central Thailand, and extended his power to as far north to the southern border of modern Laos and as far south to the border of Grahi Kingdom in Malay Peninsula which was around the present-day Nakorn Sithammarat, a southern province of modern Thailand. His territory expanded up to the border of the Pagan kingdom (ancient Burma) in the West.

Other monuments, in addition to Angkor wat, built during the reign of Suryavarman II are Beng Melea, Banteay Samre, Chey Say Tevoda, Thommanon.

Minor Reigns (1150 - 1181 A.D.)

Surprisingly the final destiny of this great king still remains in mystery. The last inscription referring to Suryavarman II was carved in 1145 A.D. with his preparation to invade Vietnam and probably he died sometime between 1145 and 1150 in a battlefield.

The death of Suryavarman II led to the decline of the Angkor Empire for a short interval and the successive kings were rather weak as well as tyrannical. The reign was followed by Dharanindravarman II (1150 - 1160 A.D.), Yasovarman II (1160 - 1165 A.D.), and Tribhuvanadityavarman (1165 - 1181 A.D.), respectively. Yasovarman II siezed the power from Dharanindravarman II, and in turn, was ousted by Tribhuvanadityavarman.

In 1177, a Champa King, who was the bitter enemy of the Khmer, attacked the Angkor by sailing his troops up along the Mekong River. A fierce naval battle was fought on the Great Lake of Tonle Sap and resulted in the painful defeat of the Angkor which subsequently fell into the hand of the Champa. The current Khmer king Tribhuvandityavarman was under the subjugation of the Champa until 1181.

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Angkor Era - Part III

(1181 - 1309 A.D)

History of Cambodia

Previous: Angkor Era - Part II (1001 - 1309 A.D.) Jayavarman VII (1181 - 1219 A.D.) Being a Khmer prince, Jayavarman VII was formerly a chieftain since the time of Yasovarman II and ruled over a Champa province or vishaya which was under the Angkor's authority. When the Chams seized the Angkor in 1177, Jayavarman VII determined to fight against the intruders and was able to re-capture the Angkor's capital Yasodharapura, where he ascended the throne in 1181. The war with the Champa kingdom did not terminate immediately but continued for another twenty years. In 1203, Jayavarman VII had a final victory and conquered the Champa kingdom. Jayavarman VII was the last greatest king of the Angkor. Not only liberalizing and unifying the country, he was also a profound builder with the marvelous achievement in building the new capital of Angkor Thom, lying on the plain of Siemreap north of Angkor Wat. At the center of Angkor Thom is the Bayon Temple, famous for its distinct 50 towers, each bearing the large faces of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshavara (a lord Buddha) on the four sides. These faces are thought to be copied from the actual face of Jayavarman VII, and whose smiles are so gentle that it is often referred to as "the Khmer smile". This great king was a devout Buddhist of the Mahayana sect. In addition to Angkor Thom and Bayon, Jayavarman VII also built other impressive temples and monuments such as Ta Phrom, Banteay Kdei, Neak Pean, and Sras Srang. Moreover, Jayavarman VII constructed an extensive road network throughout his empire and thus linked all the major towns to Angkor. This efficient road system facilitated the transportation of agricultural products and goods. Along these roads, this great and benevolent king had also built 121 resting houses to accommodate the travelers and the officials, and 102 hospitals to accommodate the sick. The reign of Jayavarman VII was marked as the peak period of the Angkor Empire as well as of the Khmer Civilization, which began to decline gradually after the death of this great king in 1219 A.D. Indravarman II (1219 - 1243 A.D.) The supreme throne was succeeded by Jayavarman VII's son - Indravarman II who was also a devout Buddhist. Perhaps many of the great works of temples' construction initiated by Jayavarman VII were continued and completed by Indravarman II. Interestingly, few historical records about this king remains and probably were destroyed by his enemy who was his successor. It was quite obvious that the Angkor power began to decline almost immediately. In 1220, the Khmers retreated from many of the Champa states that they had conquered earlier. At the same time, the Thai state succeeded to drive away the Khmer from the western frontier and established the first Thai kingdom of Sukhothai, whose descendants were to become the major threats to the Angkor Empire in the next two centuries. Jayavarman VIII (1243 - 1295 A.D.) It could have been a bad luck for some portions of Khmer history that Jayavarman VIII became the king by abducting the throne from his predecessor. Jayavarman VIII was a strong believer in Hinduism, but a brutal enemy to Buddhism. He was responsible for the massive destruction of the Buddha statues in the empire, the number of which was estimated to be over tens of thousands and very few remained. The main Buddha statue in the central shrine of Bayon was replaced with the Hindu god Harihara and that Buddha statue was found to be sliced into three pieces. Innumerable number of Buddha images in the other temples such as Banteay Kdei, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and etc. met with the same fate but being completely destroyed. Moreover, Jayavarman VIII was also found to transform many Buddhist temples into the Hindu ones, so it was not surprising if he were to carry out the similar practice of erasing his predecessors' historical records. During the reign of Jayavarman VIII, the Mongol troops of Kublai Khan attacked the border of Angkor Empire from the east in the year 1283. Jayavarman VIII was wise enough not to wage any war with the invincible Mongols at that time. He decided to pay tributes instead and thus his empire survived. This could possibly be the only credit this king had during his reign. In 1295, Jayavarman VIII and his tyrannical regime was overthrown by his own son-in-law Srindravarman who was a Buddhist. Srindravarman (1295 - 1309 A.D.) He was a devout Buddhist, not of the Mahayana sect but the Theravada one. The first inscription engraved in Pali indicated that the royal family had adopted Theravada Buddhism as their main religion, and thus the king was no longer regarded as deva-raja or "god-king". Theravada Buddhism was introduced from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and gradually infiltrated into every level of the people. In 1296, Zhou Daguan, the Chinese ambassador from Yuan Dynasty (Mongol), visited Angkor Empire and wrote an important historical document in Chinese Chronicle about the Khmer, especially the everyday life of the normal people which significantly help us to have a better and clearer picture of this civilization. Zhou Daguan returned to China in 1297. Next Articles

Angkor Era - Part IV

(1309 - 1431 A.D)

History of Cambodia

Minor Reigns (1309 - 1431 A.D.)

Since the reign of Srindravarman, there were very rare historical records, especially of those successive kings following him in the 14th century. The last stele engraved in 1327 was in Pali and there was no more inscription found for the next two centuries. Perhaps the Khmer had changed their practice by writing on the unendurable materials such as the latina leaves and animal's skin rather than by engraving on the stones. Moreover, there were no more major temples or monuments built during this period. Their newly adopted religion of Theravada Buddhism could have played a major role here. As the king was no longer regarded as the god-king or "deva-raja", it was not necessary to build any massive mountain temple to house their gods and to represent the heavenly residence.

During this period, the Khmers were not able to maintain their vast and extensive irrigation systems efficiently. Various dikes and canals were silted up. The rice crops, previously used to be cultivated two to three times a year, dropped drastically since the Khmers could not prevent floods in Monsoon, and did not have enough water storage in the dry season. As productivity dropped, the empire was weaken. Probably, the kings lacked absolute power to mobilize sufficient laborers to maintain their irrigation system.

The first Thai kingdom of Suhkothai, emerged after the Khmers were driven out in the early 13th century, was later absorbed by another Thai state which was established as the Ayuthaya kingdom in 1351 by Ramathibodi I. The Ayuthaya kingdom became a major threat to Angkor Empire with its first attempt to attack the Angkor, but unsuccessfully in 1352. Several more attempts were made in the following years. Not until 1431, the large Thai army marched on the road, built by the last greatest Khmer king Jayavarman VII, from Chao Phaya River Basin through Aranyapathet to attack right at the heart of Angkor and sacked the city that same year. This marked the end of Angkor Empire.

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Post-Angkor Era

(1431 - present day)

History of Cambodia

After being seized by the Thai army in 1431, it appeared that the Angkor entered a Dark period as there were rarely any inscription found in later centuries. There are two theories being disputed by the historians about the destiny of Angkor after this year. The first theory said that the city of Angkor was completely abandoned due to the Thai's onslaught and the people fled to take up residence in the south somewhere around 40 km north of Phnompenh. Another theory suggested that the city of Angkor was not completely abandoned at that time, but a different lineage of the Khmer king took the opportunity to establish his own power as a rival state in the south around Phnompenh; the final downfall of the Angkor was actually due to the shift of the economic importance to Phnompenh region which became a growing and flourishing trading center, especially with the Chinese during the 17th and 18th century. No matter which theory is true; there are undeniable facts to support that the Angkor was not completely forgotten by the people of Khmer. Around 1550-1570, an unknown king of the Angkor attempted to restore a temple without success. Moreover, in the 17th century there were Japanese settlements residing with the Khmer people in the Angkor city, as at least fourteen Japanese inscriptions had been found in the area. One of the most renowned Japanese inscriptions belonged to Ukondafu Kazufusa who had visited the Angkor and celebrated Khmer's New Year there in the year 1632. Anyhow, the city of Angkor was finally abandoned sometimes later, but the definite year and the exact reasons are not known. Obviously, the West did not know anything about the existence of the Khmer Civilization until a French botanist Henri Mouhot published his finding of this lost empire in 1861 (one year after he rediscovered the Angkor). He was stunned by the magnificence of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom which were hidden in the jungle. His announcement aroused the interest of the Westerners and subsequently attracted many explorers, historians and archaeologists to further explore and study the lost Khmer Civilization. Henri Mouhot was often regarded as the "first discoverer" of the lost Angkor Civilization in many text books. It is interesting to point out that Henri Mouhot was not the first European to step upon the land of Angkor. As far back as 1550, a Portugese trader Diogo do Couto visited this land and wrote some accounts about it. Mouhot's contemporary Father Bouilleveaux, who was a French missionary in Battambang, claimed that many other Western missionaries including himself had visited Angkor Wat and the other Khmer temples at least five years before Henri Mouhot. In 1863, Cambodia became a French colony. After annexing Siemreap (Angkor) and Battambang from Thailand in 1907, the French had established the Angkor Conservation Center in 1908 to conduct archaeological study of the Angkor Civilization as well as to restore the various Khmer temples. These activities were abruptly ended in 1972 due to the outbreak of civil war followed by the reign of terror by Khmer Rouge (1975-1979). Due to the political problem, Cambodia was close from the outer world until 1990, the year of which, the United Nations sponsored the general election. Angkor Wat and the other Khmer temples are regarded as the World Heritage by UNESCO in 1992. Their survival needs International assistance and funds. Lying in the tropical rain forest, the temples are consistently invaded by overgrown trees whose roots penetrate the temples' foundation whereas the water helps in its decay. The weakening of their foundations endangered the temples to collapse in the future if no preservation works were done. In addition to the natural conditions, the heritage is also endangered from thefts. According to the UN estimates, each piece of the Khmer artifacts could be sold in the black market to as high as USD 30,000 - USD 300,000, and unfortunately, they are kept in the private museums or homes of the few rich men. Such amount of money raised greed, and of course, attracted more than an ordinary theft, but the organized ones. Since 1994, serious actions have been taken by the Cambodian government in the support of UNESCO to prevent those thefts. The archaeological activities have been restarted by substantial funding from UNESCO in order to preserve this World Heritage for the future generations. At the time of this writing in the beginning of New Millennium 2000, Angkor Wat and the other Khmer temples still stand magnificently on the vast plain of Siemreap in Cambodia and are one of the main touristic spots in Southeast Asia! Pre-Angkor Period

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