Heaven & Hell

Angkor Wat

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The punishments and rewards of the 37 heavens and 32 hells are depicted in the eastern half of the south gallery. On the left, the upper and middle tiers show fine gentlemen and ladies proceeding towards 18-armed Yama (the judge of the dead) seated on a bull; below him are his assistants, Dharma and Sitragupta. On the lower tier, devils drag the wicked along the road to hell.

To Yama’s right, the tableau is divided into two parts by a horizontal line of garudas: above, the elect dwell in beautiful mansions, served by women and attendants; below, the condemned suffer horrible tortures that might have inspired the Khmer Rouge. The ceiling in this section was restored by the French in the 1930s.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • 26408-37 Asia, Cambodia, Siem Reap, South-East Asia, aged, ancient, architecture, architecture and art, art, built structure, clear sky, culture, day, epoch, historic, history, horizontal, human representation, low angle view, no people, old, outdoors, past, sculpture, stone Stone heads, Bayon.

    Bayon

    2.1 MILES

    At the heart of Angkor Thom is the 12th-century Bayon, the mesmerising, if slightly mind-bending, state temple of Jayavarman VII. It epitomises the…

  • 26408-45 Asia, Cambodia, Siem Reap, South-East Asia, aged, architecture, architecture and art, art, built structure, carving, close-up, culture, day, female likeness, focus on foreground, history, horizontal, human representation, no people, old, outdoors, past, sculpture, statue, wall Bas-relief detail, Banteay Srei.

    Banteay Srei

    14.39 MILES

    Considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, Banteay Srei is cut from stone of a pinkish hue and includes some of the finest stone…

  • A tree growing through the temple Beng Mealea in Angkor Wat. 500px Photo ID: 155059645 Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Beng Mealea, temple, ruins, rubble, decay, tree, Nikon, travel, travel photography, adventure, amazing, blocks, Siem Reap, SE Asia

    Beng Mealea

    24.73 MILES

    A spectacular sight to behold, Beng Mealea, located about 68km northeast of Siem Reap, is one of the most mysterious temples at Angkor, as nature has well…

  • Taken in Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

    Angkor Wat

    0.06 MILES

    The traveller's first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is matched by only a few select spots on earth. Built by Suryavarman…

  • Flocks of nesting pelicans, comorants, and herons crowd the canopies of submered trees at Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary on Tongle Sap lake.

    Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary

    18.31 MILES

    Prek Toal is one of three biospheres on the Tonlé Sap lake, and this stunning bird sanctuary makes it the most worthwhile and straightforward of the three…

  • Overgrown temple of Ta Prohm.

    Ta Prohm

    2.17 MILES

    The so-called 'Tomb Raider Temple', Ta Prohm is cloaked in dappled shadow, its crumbling towers and walls locked in the slow muscular embrace of vast root…

  • Entrance to Angkor National Museum, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

    Angkor National Museum

    3.15 MILES

    Looming large on the road to Angkor is the Angkor National Museum, a state-of-the-art showpiece on the Khmer civilisation and the majesty of Angkor…

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Nearby Angkor Wat attractions

1. Churning of the Ocean of Milk

0.03 MILES

The southern section of the east gallery is decorated by the most famous of the bas-relief scenes at Angkor Wat, the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. This…

2. Angkor Wat

0.06 MILES

The traveller's first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is matched by only a few select spots on earth. Built by Suryavarman…

3. Elephant Gate

0.06 MILES

This gate, which has no stairway, was used by the king and others for mounting and dismounting elephants directly from the gallery. North of the gate is a…

4. Army of Suryavarman II

0.06 MILES

The remarkable western section of the south gallery depicts a triumphal battle march of Suryavarman II’s army. In the southwestern corner about 2m from…

5. Vishnu Conquers the Demons

0.08 MILES

The northern section of the east gallery shows a furious and desperate encounter between Vishnu, riding on a garuda, and innumerable devils. Needless to…

6. Battle of Kurukshetra

0.1 MILES

The southern portion of the west gallery depicts a battle scene from the Hindu Mahabharata epic, in which the Kauravas (coming from the north) and the…

7. Krishna & the Demon King

0.1 MILES

The eastern section of the north gallery shows Vishnu incarnated as Krishna riding a garuda. He confronts a burning walled city, the residence of Bana,…

8. Battle of the Gods & the Demons

0.13 MILES

The western section of the north gallery depicts the battle between the 21 gods of the Brahmanic pantheon and various demons. The gods are featured with…

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