Ta Prohm or Taprum (Khmer: ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម, "Ancestor Brahma ") is the current name of the temple covered in big Banyan tree known to the world as Tomb Raider temple or Angelina Jolie temple, located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The temple was built in the Bayon style in the late 12th and early 13th centuries [Completed: 1186 A.D.]. The temple was originally named as Rajavihara (Khmer: រាជវិហារ, “Royal Monastery”) which King Jayavarman VII built to dedicate to his mother “ជូតាមុនី Judamony”. The temple is huge and you need 2-3 hours to explore. The outer wall of 1,000m by 650 m encloses an area of 650km2. Not lesser than Bayon, this temple had 39 towers but most likely destroyed when there was changes in religion [Buddhism back to Hindu] when King Jayavaraman VII disappeared. There are 260 pieces of Divinities. According to the inscription, there were people living in the temple to serve [Buddhism rituals were often conducted, so there were people living in to take care of everything]
This temple is one among major temples to be visited in Siem Reap town:
- Angkor Wat: What have you heard about Angkor Wat?
- Bayon: Bayon, the Smiling Face temple
- Taprum - here.
- Banteay Srei: “The citadel of the women” the most beautiful carving temples
- Preah Khan and many others…
Have I told you before that Angkorian city was abandoned for about 400 years due to the war with Siam [Thailand] as the king decided to move the city away to Chaktomuk [Currently known as Phnom Penh capital city]. Due to the abandoneness of Angkorian city, several big trees outgrown the temple and French discoverers saw the Angkorian temples back in 1860. Thhey decided to clear the forest from all temples they discovered, except Taprum temple where they kept those trees that way [to protect the temple]. Those trees are huge, aren’t they?
The special feature about this temple is that there are several areas where you can see big banyan trees covered the wall of the temple, like in Tomb Raider which I do not need to say! Let’s explore the temple with some photos!
Me and community people posted for photo at Taprum temple (mid Feb, 2022)
Let’s visit some giant banyan trees on top of the temple walls:
In this temple, there is a carving of such animal that looks similar to Dinosaur and we cannot really tell whether it means dinosaur exist in Cambodia or Cambodian people knew that there were dinosaur that time??
Did you enjoy this temple’s tour?
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@RavindranK I hope you like this post. You asked me about the monkey temple before, is this the one?
Thank you so much @Sophia_Cambodia for this wonderful post. I really like your style of storytelling, I must say you are very lucky to explore such gems of the world. I personally thought that Tomb raider was shot Angkor wat, but now I know; that’s the power of this community, we explore and educate !
One day I am going to visit Cambodia, and now I have another place on my to-do list.
cheers
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That’s very pleasant to hear @OmerAli thank you for reading and comment a very heart warming message. You are welcome anytime to visit Cambodia and write to me anytime should you need more information.
P.S. in my signature, you may find some more information about Cambodia.
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Superb. @Sophia_Cambodia
Thank you very much for posting photos and history of Angkor Wat temple. But worldwide it is easily recognized as Tom Raider/ Angelina Jolie temple than the name of Indian king who built it!
Your coverage is excellent. I will go through all your posts individually.
Today we are celebrating ShivRathri all over India. Whole night pujas (worship) will go on till tomorrow morning in all big Shiva temples. Devotees will abstain from taking food right from morning till next day. Some take only fluids. Some don’t take even water. Best wishes. Ravindran
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I see, you have a great day in your ritual @RavindranK .
P.S. Well, the temple name is Taprum, Angkor Wat is another temple, not far away from each other. But all of them are located in Angkorian city.
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Dear @Sophia_Cambodia
The tree is very tall and the peaks are very big, looking at a lot of old trees it makes sense. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post with us.
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Hi @Sophia_Cambodia ,
Thank you for sharing your travel experience with such details! I really enjoyed reading it.
I would like to inform you too that since what you shared is related to travel experience, I am changing the topic label of your post to Travel to keep Connect organized. For more details about topics on Connect, I recommend you to review this article What are Connect topics?
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Simplemente espectacular, quedé así .
Justamente estaba pensando en preguntarte por el templo de Bayón y ya vi que tiene una publicación pasada sobre este, pasaré a leerla.
Gracias por agregar tanta información tan importante además de las fotografías. Se ve sorprendente el tamaño de los arboles arropando el muro, me encantó. @Sophia_Cambodia
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Thank you dear @Chuytorres-alc please check out the temples in this articles or just go through my signature for articles in Cambodia and choose temple tours, you will see many of them!
Thank you and I am very glad to hear that you enjoyed my post @AngieYC
Thank you dear @KamalHossenR trees grew long time, have been cut and taken cared of when they are about to die. This temple is known for that giant tree. It is one of the temples that have big trees on
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Hola @Sophia_Cambodia otro relato increíble. Que privelegio tu trabajo que te permite recorrer cada rincón de tu País. Gracias por compartirlo.
Saludos desde Uruguay.
Thank you @CAAG1959 I have been seeing them many times, not only once. Right, part of them were from the job and some were personal but it is free for locals so I grab every chance I get to see those places.
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Dear @Sophia_Cambodia
Thanks for sharing this breath taking post. Cambodia is always one of my top places to visit in the future. We also have many temples here in Java, Indonesia.
Keep up the good work.
Rasyid. INDONESIA
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Thank you very much @rasyidmask welcome anytime!
The country is open now, should you wish to visit and I think it is the best time now!
I will try my best and thanks for your ongoing support @CAAG1959 I will be around
great to read your post about theTomb Raider or Angelina Jolie temple in Cambodia; i like your photos @Sophia_Cambodia
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Thank you, this temple is in bucket list to visit for many people I know @AbdullahAM the giant banyan trees are just enormous, some look like snakes… covering the temple…