Off-Campus Study

Angkor Wat

Savannah Girmscheid

 

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Waking up at 4am was a small price to pay to be able to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat.

 

Angkor…what?  When I first heard of Angkor Wat, I was clueless about this incredible place.  The Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The whole site measures 402 acres and is the largest religious monument in the world, consisting of many temples both large and small.  It is a huge tourist destination, and in my opinion, a must-see in Asia.  My friend and I spent two full days exploring the temples and taking tons of pictures and visited a few of the smaller temples on our final day in Cambodia.  Below are a few of the highlights of our days of exploration.

 

Ta Prohm temple, where a huge tree has essentially grown over, around, and through the temple.  My friend Emma and I really enjoyed exploring this temple!  You are required to wear clothing covering your shoulders and knees in all of the temples, so many of the tourists wear pants or skirts with elephant prints that can be purchased for a few US dollars at the night markets.

 

Angkor Wat is the largest and most famous of the temples.  The next largest complex is Angkor Thom, with huge faces carved into the stone.  We got some cool nose-touching photos with the faces!

 

This was definitely a trip rich in culture, history, and architecture!  It was so interesting to see the intricate carvings and think about how much time went into creating such huge and intricate temples.  I hope to see the temples again someday!

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