TA PROHM
One of Angkor's best-known and most enchanting temples, built by Jayavarman VII in honor of his mother in the late century.
Ta Prohm is undoubtedly one of the best-known temples, and perhaps one of the most enchanting, in the whole of Angkor. Unfortunately, popularized by the movie Lara Croft, it has become one of the main attractions. Archaeologists at the École française d'Extrême-Orient chose to leave it untouched and not anastylose it, so that visitors could experience what Angkor's first explorers felt when they discovered the city. Today, the effect is somewhat distorted: thousands of tourists flock here every day. If you're lucky enough to get there during off-peak hours, then the place will reveal all its magic: the giant cheese trees clinging to the surrounding walls, the scree blocking the galleries and the bas-reliefs covered in lianas have everything to bewitch the traveller. If you find yourself between two busloads of tourists, you'll need to find some peace and quiet to get into Indiana Jones' shoes.
Built by Jayavarman VII in honor of his mother in the late 12th century, it housed a sanctuary as well as a Buddhist monastery and university. An inscription on the Ta Prohm indicates that 12,640 people served in this temple alone. It also reports that over 66,000 farmers produced more than 2,500 tons of rice a year to feed the multitude of priests, dancers and workers. With the temple of Preah Khan further north, and the future Angkor Thom, it's easy to see why Angkor was considered the greatest city of its time.
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