Ta Prohm, Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia was built in the lat 12th Century. It is the most romantic Angkor Temple.

1. Ta Prohm The most romantic Angkor temple Siem Reap, Cambodia
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2. The temple was built in 1186, by the Buddhist king Jayavarman VII. Eastern gopura (East Gate)

3. Archaeologists had left the temple in a state mostly as it was they have found it.

4. A popular motif of the Khmer architecture is the bas-relief of the celestial dancing maiden, the apsaras.

7. The temple buildings remain smothered by the roots of giant trees preserving the appearance as they were found.

9. According to stele records, the temple was home to more than 12,500 people (including high priests and over 600
dancers). In addition a further 80,000 of the surrounding area worked to service and to supply the temple.

13. The multiple headed serpent, the Naga in Hindu and Buddhist mythology was a popular motif in Khmer Architecture.

15. Unlike Angkor Wat which was built on a „Temple Mountain‟ style, Ta Prohm was a built on a „flat‟ Khmer style.

22. Blind windows and door s frequently open to the east only, Khmer architecture, to maintain the appearance blind doors
and blind windows (or false window) were used.

23. The Tomb Raider tree or
the Silk Cotton tree.

24. The Tomb Raider tree or the Silk Cotton tree.

25. This the interior of the Sanctuary Tower, the most important building in a temple. The holes were used to hold coloured
stones or semi-precious stones for decoration.

26. The exterior of the Sanctuary Tower.

31. The temple was dedicated to the goddess of „The Perfection of Wisdom‟ and in honour to the king‟s mother, his
mother was used to personify the goddess.

32. The Waterfall tree

33. Most temple had gallery, which was used as passageway and importantly to enclose a series of concentric spaces.

40. Temples built in the later period often used the technique of sandstone for the outside and laterite for the inside.

41. The disappearance of a
brilliant civilisation.
Several reasons for the disappearance of
the Khmer Empire was suggested.
The
The Khmer Empire was defeated and
subjugated by the Siamese army of
Ayutthays.
The “Black Death” from China around 1330.
End
A recent evidence suggests the
deterioration of the waterworks, on which
the prosperity of the empire depended on.
Starting in the 1300s, it appears SE Asia
experienced climatic upheaval, called the
Little Ice Age, as in Europe.
Here is the reason given by the Bernard-
Philippe Groslier, the last French curator of
Angkor. „The country was milked dry for the
sole benefit of the king.‟ … Khmer was
doomed because they were incapable of
evolving a philosophy of man and his
destiny.‟ …. „In Khmer there was no
society, nothing but an undefined
juxtaposition of elementary and
undifferentiated cells‟.
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