Banteay Chhmar
14.071111111111103.10916666667Koordinaten: 14 ° 4 ' N, 103 ° 7' O
Banteay Chhmar (Khmer បន្ទាយឆ្មារ ) is one of the largest walled temple plants of Cambodia. It is located in the same place ( Banteay Chhmar commune ) in the province of Banteay Meanchey, about 60 kilometers north of Sisophon and about 20 kilometers east of the border with Thailand. Owner of the Buddhist monastery town was Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181 to about 1218 over the Khmer Empire. The system includes the main temple complex, a large Baray with a Mebon ( island temple ) and eight satellites Temple. Today, about 80 % of the walls and buildings are in ruins. But the remains of the large-scale reliefs in the Bayon style are impressive; unique are the many-armed representations of Lokeshvara ( Avalokiteshvara ). Its seclusion Banteay Chhmar was often plagued by art thieves. The investigations of the archaeologists are well advanced; Extensive restoration and reconstruction works are underway.
Banteay Chhmar Community - Based Tourism (CBT ) brings together a group of ambitious local people who are committed to the protection of the temple and for the promotion of sustainable tourism.
Banteay Chhmar since 1992 is on the candidate list of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.
Geography
Banteay Chhmar is located 165 kilometers west of Angkor and 30 kilometers from the foothills of the Dangrek mountains in a semi-arid region. The climate is rough, the forests with deciduous trees are often sparse, the soil is sandy and loamy. Banteay Chhmar was not due to one of the great connecting roads of the Khmer empire, but about 60 kilometers away from the road that led from Angkor after Phimai. The question is not yet clear why the major temple city has been built in such a remote and inhospitable region.
Until about 2004 Banteay Chhmar was only accessible under strain. George Groslier who explored the temple complex in the first half of the 20th century, complained that this was only accessible for two months each year. Now performs a wide, well-maintained dirt road from Sisophon to Banteay Chhmar and on to Anlong Veng. The temple complex is now in the midst of the settlement area. The village of Banteay Chhmar hugs all around to the inner moat at, which also includes the link road leads (on the south and on the east side ) along. The trench still serves the population as a water reservoir. In the region of Banteay Chhmar today mainly rice and cassava are grown ( cassava ). Apart from agriculture, and a silk factory, there is little work in the region. Great hopes are being placed in the burgeoning tourism around the temple site.
Research
The Frenchman Etienne Aymonier and Luned de Banteay Chhmar Lajonquière visited in the second half of the 19th century. Each of them published at the turn of the century a Artilkel to this temple site. Both noted that the temple complex of Banteay Chhmar disintegrate most and be the most chaotic of all Khmer temples.
When George Groslier ( a Frenchman who was born in Cambodia ) in the first half of the 20th century Banteay Chhmar in four surveys conducted (1914, 1924, 1934 and 1935 ), the decay of the system was more advanced and he was glad that he could be based on the descriptions of Aymonier and Lajonquière. Based on researches Groslier suspected that there were a total of 55 towers in Banteay Chhmar, half of which faces - towers. He estimated the construction of the temple at 34 years. Given the size of the plant, however, he could not believe his calculations and postulated a construction period of 50 to 60 years. Groslier made the first architectural study of the system and drew the first accurate plan.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, various universities and institutions involved in Banteay Chhmar. Olivier Cunin, a French architect, researched for 10 years, the temple of the Bayon period in Cambodia and Thailand in Banteay Chhmar and made extensive investigations. He was able to prove, among other things, that there were different phases ( changes and additions ) and after the completion of the facility at least 50 faces - towers in Banteay Chhmar. Cunin calculated 30 to 35 years for the entire construction period. He and his team managed to create an accurate, three-dimensional model of the temple complex.
The historical name of the temple - city is not known. Aymonier wrote in 1901 that the name of Banteay Chhmar " Small Citadel " or " Citadel of the Cats" mean (in the language of the Khmer drown out the terms for " cat " and "small " very similar ). Lajonquière listed in 1911 in his inventory of Khmer monuments in Cambodia and Thailand, the temple of Banteay Chhmar site under the inventory number. IK.816 on, calling them " Citadel of the Cats". Possibly, the name " Small Citadel " as opposed to " Great City " of Angkor Thom was meant (the area of the temple complex of Banteay Chhmar takes about 40 % of the area of Angkor Thom, a ).
Architectural History
Banteay Chhmar was already a religious center before Jayavarman VII in 1181 came to power. Probably built already Jayavarman II ( 790-835 ), a sanctuary at the site of the present main temple of Banteay Chhmar. This was later used by Suryavarman II ( 1113 -ca. 1150 ) renovated. After his accession to the throne Jayavarman VII began an extensive building program to the next Angkor Thom Bayon Temple with the State and the great Buddhist monastery towns Ta Prohm, Preah Khan (Angkor ), Banteay Kdei and Banteay Chhmar and numerous smaller shrines belonged. Also in the temple - city of Preah Kahn of Kampong Svay he realized important buildings.
First of Banteay Chhmar Monument was Jayavarman VII built the central sanctuary, which consisted of three interconnected towers and a perimeter wall ( first wall). It was later added to the east and on the west side of the first wall ever built another temple and the second enclosure. Over the years, the transformation to a complex and important temple town was. East of the central sanctuary, two libraries were built; the first enclosure was provided with four corner towers. The Hall of dancers who followed three shrines as well as extensive changes and extensions. A Sanskrit inscription that was found on the door posts of the last 45 built palace, called 1216 as the year of completion. In the same year the temple was consecrated according to Peter D. Sharrock. The sanctuary should remember Crown Prince Indravarman (son of Jayavarman VII ) and four officers who were killed while trying to protect the life of the prince.
The ruins of Banteay Chhmar remained unrestored long time. It was not until 2008, the Global Heritage Fund of California ( GHF ) began an extensive Konservations and training project.
Building materials
Analyzes of the sandstone used to show that only four quarries are used as material suppliers for the monuments of Banteay Chhmar in question. The sandstone blocks were probably 20 km northwest of the temple complex at the foot of the mountains Dangrek broken. The other three quarries are 80 km, 160 km and 220 km from quite far away from the temple complex. Laterite was used frequently (for both walls as well as for building); it occurs in many places in the soil in the region of Banteay Chhmar. In several places, the temple complex holes were discovered in the stone for fixing wooden stringers.
2011 a spire was excavated gilded bronze restoration work next to a tower faces in depth of 1.5 meters. It is the only artifact of this kind was found in Banteay Chhmar.
The extent of destruction in Banteay Chhmar is greater than in comparable temple sites. The construction of the plant was most likely under great time pressure. The selection of the stones did not always come with the necessary care, as proven by the different colors in some parts of the wall. The sandstone was often not the best quality, the machining of the blocks was often too little detail.
Religion
State religion in the Khmer Empire was before Jayavarman VII Hinduism ( Shaivism ). Jayavarman VII was a follower of Mahayana Buddhism, but other faiths was tolerant. Under his successors briefly returned to the Shaivism; followed by the Theravada Buddhism the state religion.
Even before there was Jayavarman VII in Banteay Chhmar a Hindu temple. Jayavarman VII erected at this point umfriedetes sanctuary with three towers, which he had to expand over the course of about 30 years in a Buddhist monastery town where several thousand monks lived. Hindu is the main temple complex of Jayavarman VII, the three shrines, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma are consecrated.
Among the successors of Jayavarman VII of the state religion were made to all the temples of the Bayon period iconographic changes, but not in Banteay Chhmar as a result of the change.
Style
Banteay Chhmar is built in the Bayon style (1181-1243) that followed the Angkor Wat style ( 1080-1175 ). The architecture of the system has many similarities with the other Buddhist monastery systems of Jayavarman VII on (Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, Banteay Kdei and Preah Khan Kampong Svay of ). The temples are spread out and have complex layouts. Faces - towers that dominate the entrance gates and tower over the sanctuaries. Extensive bas reliefs tell the story of everyday life and battles. Naga balustrades with rows of gods and demons flanking the bridges and causeways that cross the moats.
Temple City
The entire temple town ( Baray, moats, ramparts and walls, satellite temples, etc. ) are East / West - oriented. As mentioned in Aymonier, Lajonquière and Groslier, the temple complex is a single field of ruins. Since its completion in 1216 probably were no restoration work and the temple grounds was almost 800 years, the sprawling plant, wind and weather and looters left. Today, about 80 % of the walls and buildings are in ruins. The orientation is not easy ( it is recommended to engage a guide for the visit).
Baray
The Baray (water reservoir ) is 1.7 km long and 800 m wide. The 3 m high dam is covered on all four sides with laterite steps. On the west side of the Baray there is a landing place for boats. On the artificial island in Baray are the ruins of the island temple ( Mebon ), who had a face - tower. To the sanctuary is not only the usual moat; in addition there is ever a round pool of water on the east and on the west side as well as an undulating water ditch on the north and on the south side. Today is partially water in Baray even during the dry season. The water reservoir was part of a hydraulic city, which included a complex system of channels.
Exterior enclosure
Banteay Chhmar was a large city with an area of 2.2 km by 1.7 km in the center of which stood the main temple. The city was surrounded by a 3 m high embankment and a moat. From the outer enclosure ( earth wall and moat ) small traces are still preserved.
Inside enclosure
The inner moat measuring 770 m by 690 m and 63 m wide. On the east and on the west side resulted in a dam on the south and on the north side of the bridge with naga balustrades across the ditch. The Nagas were worn by gods on one side and of giants on the other side (as in Angkor Thom and Preah Khan). The Naga balustrades of the southern bridge were excavated and partially reconstructed.
Main temple
The main temple is a Buddhist complex ( Mahayana Buddhism), which also includes three Hindu shrines, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma are consecrated. Like any other monument of the Bayon period, Banteay Chhmar is the result of various construction phases. The layout of the temple complex of Banteay Chhmar is very similar to the plan of Preah Khan in Angkor. The main temple complex has three enclosing walls.
The first (inner) wall measures approximately 45 m by 40 m. It was built in the first phase to the central sanctuary (A), which consisted initially of only three attached towers. It was later added to the west and on the east side of the first wall ever another sanctuary (B and C).
The second enclosure surrounds the series of three assembled shrines (A, B and C). It measures 130 m by 120 m. The three temples take about a third of the area that lies within the second wall. The north and the south side of the second wall will ever pierced by a shrine, where the northern and the southern Brahma Shiva is consecrated ( in the Temple of Preah Khan in Angkor pierce the respective shrines not the wall). Directly to the east entrance of the second wall, the so-called Hall of dancers joins. On the west side of the second wall is ( at a distance ) on a pedestal, another shrine, which is dedicated to Vishnu. It consists of a small stepped pyramid, surrounded by a wall.
The third enclosure measuring 250 m by 200 m. On the outside, the galleries are the reliefs. On all four sides of the 3rd enclosing wall was a gate with three inputs. The main entrance was on the east side.
In total there are 6 pools on the temple grounds: Between the 3rd and the 2nd ring of walls there are four pools, two are in the Northeast and in the southeast corner, and two are located north and south of the Vishnu shrine. Inside the second wall is ever a small pool of water in the Northeast and in the southeast corner.
Reliefs
The reliefs of Banteay Chhmar are located on the outside of the third enclosure. The surface is in relief with a total of 538 meters by 223 meters longer than the outer gallery of the Bayon ( at Bayon measures the outer gallery 315 meters). In Banteay Chhmar there are one or two registers (one image strip or two superimposed image strip ), of which the top was not always completed ( in Bayon, there are three registers).
In Banteay Chhmar religious and historical scenes and everyday situations were shown at Bayon. In several places there are reliefs, which are virtually identical with pictures at Bayon. Historical scenes occupy a broad space. On the southern wall, the battle between the Khmer and the Cham can be seen ( attack of the Cham at Angkor ). On the southeastern wall battle scenes on the Tonle Sap Lake are shown.
Unique are the representations of the multi-armed Lokeshvara ( Avalokiteshvara ) with a single head and up to 32 arms. Originally decorated eight representations of Lokeshvara the southwestern wall. Four of these were stolen in late 1998 (a total of one piece of the wall of 11 meters in length was removed). The blocks of two reliefs discovered the Cambodian police in 1999 in a truck near the Thai border. These are now in the National Museum in Phnom Penh. The situation presents itself as follows: Two multi-armed Lokeshvaras (one with 32 and the other with 22 arms ) are located at the original location, two in the National Museum in Phnom Penh, two people are still missing and two are in place in ruins.
On the monuments of Banteay Chhmar, there are numerous Apsaras; but without exception all were deprived of their head. Get thereof include Garuda with upraised arms.
Faces - towers
Faces - towers are an innovation of the Bayon style. They occur only in the second Bayon period and that in three locations: at Angkor, in Temple City of Preah Khan Kampong Svay ( Preah Vihear province ) and Banteay Chhmar in.
In Banteay Chhmar there were towers with and without faces. The central sanctuary had initially no faces - towers. In a later phase, two faces - towers were erected on the east side of the Central Court; more followed in other parts of the main temple. Cunin determined the number of faces - towers on the basis of the found fragments of the eyes, mouth and ears, and calculated that there were at least 50 faces - towers in the final stages of construction. Faces - towers crowned in Banteay Chhmar including the entrance gates of the third enclosure, the two temples east and west of the central sanctuary and the northern and the southern shrine. The Mebon (Island Temple ) had a tower and faces of the eight satellite temples had seven faces a tower (with the exception of satellite Temple, which is southeast of the inner moat ).
In Banteay Chhmar, one can distinguish three types of faces; at Bayon temple there is only one type. The four faces of a tower can both look at the main points of the compass. They represent Jayavarman VII as a bodhisattva, the enlightened one.
Dharamsala
Within the inner moat and northeast of the temple is a well-preserved Dharamsala. The purpose of this monument (fire - sanctuary or Pilgerhaus ) has not been clarified
Satellite temple
The Mebon (Island Temple ) not counted, surrounded 8 satellite temple, the main temple complex. Six of them are in pairs on the main axis of the temple (two each on the north, west and south axis ). An exception are the two satellite temples on the east side of the main temple. One is on the main axis, the other is located about 200 meters from the south-east corner of the inner moat. Two of the eight satellite temples are outside the outer fence. The satellite temples have the following names:
Of the eight satellite temples had only that in the southeast faces no - tower. All eight satellite shrines were surrounded by an enclosure of an average of 25 meters by 38 meters and at least a moat. As the only satellite temple of Ta Prohm is relatively well preserved. It is set amidst the rice fields and is easily accessible. The tower is largely intact, partially collapsed the perimeter wall, the trench is filled with water. The Prasat Ta Naem (IV ) is the only example opposite faces with a tower of the second type. The other satellite temples are in ruins and are partly hidden under thick undergrowth.
Importance of the facility
Banteay Chhmar is one of the four largest, enclosed temple - cities of the Khmer empire (along with Preah Khan Kampong Svay of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat ). The architecture of the Buddhist temple flat has great similarities with the temple plants Ta Prohm, Preah Khan (Angkor ) and Banteay Kdei. In contrast to these Banteay Chhmar is the only temple complex of the Bayon period, the Buddhist iconography has not changed since the 12th century. Only in Banteay Chhmar, there are three types of faces - towers and only here there were originally eight representations ( relief ) of the multi-armed Lokeshvara. Banteay Chhmar is a unique, historical document.
Prasat Banteay Torp
The Prasat Banteay Torp, which is around 15 km south of Banteay Chhmar away on a small hill, was built by order of Jayavarman VII, probably the same time as Banteay Chhmar. The name means citadel of the army. The monument is surrounded by two low walls and a moat. Four towers were originally arranged around a larger central tower ( quincunx ) and interconnected with this and. Today only the ruins of three towers rise into the air. Whole side walls are absent; at high altitude trees grow from the remains. In some archway of the towers 800 year old original wooden beams have been preserved. They have ornaments on with notched circles.