Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region. The name Siem Reap means the 'Flat Defeat of Siam' —more commonly known today as Thailand — and refers to the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and Khmer peoples.
Angkor served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries in the Siem Reap Province. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, which is the largest Hindu temple complex and said to be the world's largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored, and together, they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture. Angkor Wat was built based on early Dravidian Architecture. Dravidian architecture was a style of architecture that emerged thousands of years ago in South India. It consists primarily of pyramid shaped temples called Kovils in Tamil(கோவில்) which are dependent on intricate carved stone in order to create a step design consisting of many statues of deities, warriors, kings, and dancers.
- Angkor is a Khmer term meaning "city". It comes from the Sanskrit nagara.
- Banteay is a Khmer term meaning "citadel" or "fortress" that is also applied to walled temples.
- Baray means "reservoir".
- Esvara, or Isvara, is a suffix referring to the god Shiva.
- Gopura is a Sanskrit term meaning "entrance pavilion" or "gateway".
- Jaya is a prefix meaning "victory".
- Phnom is a Khmer term meaning "mountain".
- Prasat is a Khmer term meaning "temple". It comes from the Sanskrit prasada.
- Preah is a Khmer term meaning "God" or "King" it can also be a prefix meaning "sacred" or "holy". (Preah Khan means "sacred sword".)
- Srei is a Khmer term meaning "woman". (Banteay Srei means "citadel of women".)
- Ta is a Khmer term meaning "grandfather," or under some circumstances "ancestor." (Ta Prohm means "Ancestor Brahma". Neak ta means "ancestors" or "ancestral spirits".)
- Thom is a Khmer term meaning "large". (Angkor Thom means "large city".)
- Varman is a suffix meaning "shield" or "protector". (Suryavarman means "protected by Surya, the sun-god".)
- Wat is a Khmer term, derived from the Sanskrit vattaram meaning "temple". (Angkor Wat means "temple city".)
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| Map of the Angkor archaeological sites |
http://www.angkor-visit.com/khmer_art_styles.html
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