Friday, March 06, 2020

Angkor Wat

I saw this video today, it's three and a half minutes. Angkor Wat is in Cambodia. It was converted from a Hindu temple in the 12th century. It is a prime tourist attraction. It is 3.4 miles north of the modern town of Siem ReapEncyclopedia Britannica has a neat three and a half minute video as well, including the efforts to maintain and prevent the inevitable erosion of the temple. 800 plus years is a pretty long time for a structure to exist, but it is a symbol of the country, on its currency. During medieval times a million people lived in this thriving center.

Angkor Wat was “rediscovered” in 1840s by the French explorer Henri Mouhot, who wrote that the site was “grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.” (history channel) You can read his two books on Gutenberg.

UNESCO launched a major restoration campaign after naming it both a World Heritage site and a World Heritage in Danger in 1992. (Business Insider--great photos)

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