Angkor

Angkor - lost in the jungle capital of the once mighty Khmer Empire. It's not a city, and a complicated system of cities connected by roads, ponds, majestic portals and artificial channels. Each of them - well-planned an ensemble consisting of towers, galleries, libraries and arenas.






In the 15th century the city was taken Siamese troops, and the capital was moved to Phnom Penh and Angkor was abandoned and was literally absorbed by the tropical forest. Only in the mid-nineteenth century, French scientists have found the ruins of the city.



Most of the temples and palaces is now recovering, their grandeur and sweep of architectural thinking of the ancient Khmer certainly amaze.



Stronger other impressive temple of Ta Prohm left restorers in the form in which it found the French in the nineteenth century. The temple is a living illustration of the words of Kipling's "Jungle swallowed up the city ..." The trees reach the summit of flat roofs, large roots, like an octopus wrapped around statues and walls, crawling along the stone paths, embody the triumph of nature over civilization.























Photos: Trey Ratcliff