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Siem Reap:
Siem Reap (or defeat of Siam) ...definitely the gateway to the temples of Angkor. A couple of years ago, apart from the Old Market area, some old French shophouses, one 5 star hotel and several so-called deluxe tourist hotels as well as guesthouses, Siem Reap was just a sleepy town.

Now there seems to be a gold rush! Restaurants and guesthouses seem to open weekly, hotels monthly, internet shops are easier and better to find than elsewhere in Western countries (!), and the guides I talked to said that the number of travelers is increasing very fast and they do expect big changes!

Indeed, meanwhile Siem Reap has become a really great place to stay and many even decide to stay up to one week (thanks to the excellent facilities) to enjoy the temple sites. It's an adventure par excellence!

From the early 9th century on, after the first independent Khmer kingdom was founded by King Jayavarman II, until 1431, when a large part of the population emigrated a few hundred kilometres to the southeast, Angkor was the capital of a Khmer state which in its prime covered the major part of Southeast Asia - from present-day Myanmar to present-day southern Vietnam, from today's southern Chinese province of Yunnan deep down the Malayan peninsula.

Please note: You better buy a guide book - the information here is just a short introduction of some major of the 292 temples in Siem Reap...

SHORT INTRODUCTION
Jayavarman II	Set up his capital in Roulous
The 4th Angkor king, Yasovarman	Capital at Angkor ( called Yashodharapura)
The 7th Angkor king, Jayavarman IV	Capital at Koh Ker
The 9th Angkor king, Rajendravarman	Capital again at Angkor
The 21st Angkor king, Jayavarman VII	Built the royal town of Angkor Thom
ALMOST ALL of these so-called 'new capitals' are only a few kilometres apart (the distance between Roulous and Angkor Thom is just 15 kilometres and the distance from Angkor to Koh Ker is more than 50 kilometres).

The ROULOUS GROUP is the site of an ancient center of Khmer civilization known as Hariharalaya.

9th Century:

Prasat Prah Ko (The Sacred Ox)
Prasat Prah Ko, one of the oldest temples, is located at Roluos between Bakong and Lolei. It was built in the late ninth century (879) by King Indravarman I, dedicated to Shiva (Hindu), and a funeral temple built for the king's family and the previous King Jayavarman II and his wife.
Prasat Bakong
Built in late ninth century (881) by King Indravarman I, and dedicated to Siva (Hindu), it followed the Prah Ko art style. Bakong was the center of the town of Hariharalaya.

It was profaned during fighting and the court moved once again. Indravarman's son Yacovarman I was sacred in 889. The court was displaced to a site 15 km northwest of Phnom Bakheng, establishing the first city of Angkor.
Prasat Lolei
A small temple and not only the last to visit at the Roulous Group but it was also the last temple constructed there before King Yasovarman I moved the capital to the Angkor area. You will find there some exquisite carvings and inscriptions on the lintels.
Phnom Bakheng,
built by King Yasovarman I, is the centre of the first kingdom of Angkor (or Yasodharapura) and a replica of the Bakong at Roluos. "Phnom" means "hill" in the Khmer language. Phnom Bakheng is the only natural hill (65 metres) and just a few hundred metres south of the Angkor Thom gate. It's THE 'sunset hill' nowadays - hundreds of people waiting with their cameras...

Phnom Bakheng

Prasat Kravanh

10th Century:

Prasat Kravanh (Towers of the Tight-Rope Dancers)
This temple was not constructed by a king, but by a nobleman. Prasat Kravanh is a brick structure reknowned for the remarkable brick sculptures on its interior walls depicting Vishnu and Lakshimi. It is unique in style and different from the other temples at Angkor.
Prasat Baksei Chamkrong (The Bird that shelters under its Wing)
King Hasavarman I dedicated it to his father, Yasovarman I. This small Hindu temple formerly housed a golden image of Shiva and can be spotted to the left when entering Angkor Thom from the southern gate.
Prasat Prea Rup (Change the Body),
built in the early Angkor era by King Rajendravarman II (944-968), may have been used for cremations - it's just down the road and similar in style to East Mebon. This architecturally dramatic tempel is considered superior in terms of the carvings on its false doors. The view from the top is breathtaking: Eastwards towards the Kulen Hills and westwards towards Angkor Wat.
Prasat Banteay Srei (Citadel of the Women)
This magnificent tempel was built by King Rayendravarman and later completed by King Jayavarman V.

11th Century:

Prasat Mebon Oriental
Located 4 km west of Angkor Thom, it was built in the second half of the 11^th century by King Udayadityavarman II and dedicated to Visnu (Hindu), following the Prasat Baphuon art style. To get there, you have to take a boat to the island in the center on an artificial lake and then walk to the east eantrance of the temple.
West Baray
King Suryavarman I started the largest ancient Khmer pond (respectively reservoir) which was completed by King Udayadityavarman II. Apart from Srah Srang, which is pretty small, this one is the only Baray left which still has water in it!

A short boat ride on West Baray at Angkor will take you to an island where we can see traces of the West Mebon Temple.
Prasat Baphuon (The Golden Tower, aka The Big Jigsaw Puzzle)
Prasat Phimeanakas (The Celestial Palace)
This was the palace of King Suryavarman I, built around the beginning of the 11th century. It was built within a 5 m high wall made of laterite; another wall was later added. In the middle of the complex there is a three-tiered laterite pyramid in a rectangular plain.
Prasat Takeo (The Crystal Tower)
A tall but plainly designed temple mountain. This is the first temple constructed wholly of sandstone.
Prasat Chau Say Tevoda
Together with the Thommanon Temple (King Suriavarman II) these small temples are often referred as brother-sister temples. They were constructed in the pure classical style of the Angkor Wat architecture.
Kbal Spean,
started by King Suryavarman I and completed by King Udayadityavarman II, is a 2 hour ride from Siem Reap, on the route to Banteay Srei. To reach this spectacular carved riverbed, called the 'River of a 1,000 Lingas' (for the hundreds of Shiva symbols painstakingly etched into the rock), you need to walk about another 40 minutes (moderately) uphill.

Kbal Spean

12th Century:

Prasat Thommanon
Small, beautiful temple in good condition. The colours of the age-stained sandstone against the jungle are very photogenic.
Prasat Angkor Wat (the city which was a temple)
The most famous temple ground in the entire Angkor plain, it rivals the Seven Wonders of the World. The name "Angkor" is derived from the Sanskrit word "flagara", meaning "city" or "capital".

It was built by King Suryavarman II in the middle of the 12th century over a period of about 30 years. The reign of Suryavarman II also marked the high point of Khmer teritorial expansion. Like many other Khmer temples, Angkor Wat was built as architectural allegory of the Hindu religion. The central tower stands for Mount Meru, the center of the universe according to Hindu mythology; the top of Mount Meru is considered to be the home of the gods. There are two entrances to the Angkor Wat - the east entrance and the west entrance. Both entrances are guarded on both sides by statues of Vishnu.

The temple ground is surrounded by a wall and a moat, not only for demarcation purposes, but also because in Hindu mythology Mount Meru is surrounded by other mountain ranges and oceans. The whole complex occupies an area of 1,950,000 square meters. The numerous temples found there were built from granite and sandstone. Not a single metal bar was used. The rocks used for building came from a place called Plon Klon Mountain, 40 km away.

Prasat Thommanon

Prasat Angkor Wat

Prasat Angkor Thom
Angkor Thom was the work of the greatest of the Khmer architect-kings: Jayavarman VII (ruled 1181-1219). Angkor Thom is the inner royal city, built at the end of the 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, shortly after Angkor had been conquered and burnt down by the Chams.
Prasat Bayon (The Temple of Stone Faces)
Built nearly 100 years after Angkor Wat by Jayavarman VII, it is one of the most stunning temples and sits exactly in the middle of Angkor Thom. The temple (also known as the Temple of mysterious, enigmatic smiling Gods) is today best known for the gigantic face sculptures (more than 200 of them) that adorn its thirty-seven surviving towers. The faces are thought to be the composite of King Jayavarman VII and Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, a Buddhist deity. Facing in four directions on each tower, the faces signify the King’s omnipresence, watchful protection, and projecting benevolence outward to the four directions.

Prasat Bayon

The Elephant Terrace and the Leper King Terrace,
massive walls, two and a half meters high, form part of a series of terraces in Angkor Thom, and were built by Jayavarman VII. The elephant terrace was dedicated to Buddhism as the Leper King Terrace (called so because a few of the Angkor kings were known to have had contracted this disease) and was supposedly a funeral pyre.

The Elephant Terrace and the Leper King Terrace

Prasat Ta Prohm (The Ancestor Brahma),
was constructed during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, and dedicated to his mother. Later it was restored and enlarged by his son. This temple supposedly inspired Rudyard Kipling to write 'The Jungle Book'. After its restoration it intendedly 'was left to nature'; so visitors can enjoy this magic temple as a classic jungle ruin.

Prasat Ta Prohm

Prasat Ta Som (The Ancestor Som)
This buddhist temple built by King Jayavarman VII is just a Mini Ta Phrom - also here the picturesque East Gopura is held together by roots of a tree growing from the top.
Prasat Preah Kahn (The Sacred Sword)
is another masterpiece built by King Jayavarman VII, and his former residence while his palace was under construction. Later he dedicated this temple to his father, (whereas Ta Prohm was dedicated to his mother). Originally this was once a buddhist temple, not only housing over 1,000 monks, but also 515 statues of which 2 are now in a museum in Paris. Also here it was decided to leave the temple to nature.
Prasat Neak Pean (Temple of the Entwined Serpents)
Built in the second half of the 12^th century by King Jayavarman VII, it was dedicated to Buddhism and follows the Prasat Bayon art style - it's a large square man-made pond (70 meters (230 feet) on each side), surrounded with stairs and a sanctuary in the centre on a small island and surrounded by four smaller ponds.
Prasat Banteay Kdei (The Citadel of Chambers)
Built at the end of the 12^th century by king Jayavarman VII and dedicated to Buddhism, it follows at least two different art periods - Angkor Wat and Bayon. Banteay Kdei was built of soft sandstone and many of the galleries and porches have collapsed and it has not been restored - you may experience what it may have looked like at the end of 12th century!
Prasat Suor Prat (Towers of the Tight-Rope Dancers)
is also called the Suor Prat Towers. It is an alignment of 12 identical towers with unknown function. Nice to view from a distance, but not impressive up close.
Prasat Ta Nei,
Late 12th century - this Bayon-style temple is located deep in the forest. The temple offers very nice and interesting pediments.
Srah Srang (The Royal Bathing Pool)
Srah Srang is a picturesque reservoir of 300 x 700 meters with a beautiful terrace in the shape of a cross on the West side. Stairways lead to the water, guarded by stone Nagas, godly snakes, and mythical Garuda birds. It's a good place to view the sunrise!
The Palace Area of Angkor Thom
is located directly to the north of the Bayon. Its basic features were laid out during the reign of King Suryavarman I, 150 years before the construction of Angkor Thom. From the center of the palace complex rose the Heavenly Palace, Phimeanakas. The king of the Khmer always used to spend the first part of each night in the uppermost part of this Heavenly Palace, where according to legend he had sexual intercourse with the sun queen.

Remodeled more than once by several monarchs, time and jungle have left their mark on the stones and the palace is now in poor condition.

Among the 292 temples in Siem Reap, the most interesting structures certainly are Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom with the Bayon.

THE RUINS IN GEOGRAPHICAL ORDER
Roulous Group	Angkor Wat	Angkor Thom
Prasat Prah Ko Prasat Bakong Prasat Lolei	Angkor Wat Baksei Chamkrong Phnom Bakheng	Gateway into Angkor Thom Bayon Baphuon Phimeanakas Terrace of the Elephants Prasat Suor Prat
Small Circuit	Grand Circuit	Outskirts
Prasat Kravanh Srah Srang Banteay Kdei Ta Prohm Ta Keo	Pre Rup Ta Som Neak Pean Preah Khan	West Baray Banteay Srei Kbal Spean