KHMER ARCHITECTURE

Khmer Architecture

• Southeast Asia
• Crossroads b/w Indian and Chinese culture
• Small country compared to neighbors
• Topography: mountain ranges, central plains, The Great Lake
• Climate: close to equator, temp doesnt change, high precipitation

Pre-Angkor Period

Southern Cambodia

-square ground plan, brick towers, false doors, mounting levels of decreasing size stacked on top of one another

Used wood, brick, laterite, sandstone, tile, stucco

Cosmology in Khmer:

-design and decoration of temples modeled on set of magical and religious traditions

-linked to shared principles of Hindu and Buddhist periods

-world consisted of single continent w/ cosmic mountain at center (Mount Meru)

-built temple mountains for each king

-link b/w man and god

Important Buildings:

Angkor Wat:

 

When: 12 century at height of Khmer civilization

Royal shrine, tomb, temple

-series of large tombs, mountain is axis of earth

-stone Khmer cosmology- cosmic order

-main purpose was for dwelling of god represented by image

-symbolize each state of solar system

Elements:

Covers one square mile

Series of four enclosures one inside another

Moats-surrounds entire complex

Causeway- two libraries on each side

Freestanding buildings in pairs

Five central towers

Long entrance sequence- entrance at western end

Cruciform platform

Cross-shaped galleries

-low relief sculpture, military context, figures, battle on land and water, maidens= garden figures= apsaras

Sequence of three terraces

Significance: one of the largest religious structures ever built

-horizontal and vertical expanse in one composition

-symmetrical, balanced, grand

Angkor Thom:

Great City

Last capital of Khmer Empire

Fortified city of residences of priests and officials

-Royal palace

-causeways

-towers