With its labyrinth of defensive walls and moats, magnificent five-spire towers, weather-worn sandstone statues and inspired pyramidal temples, Cambodia’s vast Angkor Wat (“Temple City”) complex isn’t just a proud symbol of national culture, but one of the greatest expressions of ancient architecture ever built.
Conceived roughly 900 years ago and spanning some 400 sq km, it’s also the single largest religious monument in the world. Yet, if you wander a few kilometres away and follow a small side street in Siem Reap to a hand-painted sign reading “Angkor Wat in Miniature”, you’ll find one of the smallest.
Inside a cottage courtyard, architect and sculptor Dy Proeung has painstakingly recreated elaborate models of Angkor Wat’s rose-pink sandstone towers, soaring pediments and defensive moats, all built to scale. The inspired museum-residence represents Proeung’s life’s work, and the story behind its creation is just as remarkable as the miniature Temple City itself.
In full: http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200716-cambodias-hidden-angkor-wat
