Cultural Tour : President visits Angkor Wat and Bayon Temple in Siem Reap

President U Min Aung Hlaing visited the historic Angkor Wat and Bayon temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap on Saturday. At Angkor Wat, the President and delegation observed the temple’s ancient stone structures, statues and detailed bas-reliefs depicting Khmer history, culture, daily life and battles.

Officials from the Angkor Archaeological Park provided explanations about the historical site. The President later presented a commemorative gift and donated a Maravijaya Buddha image and a record book on its construction for a monastery in the Angkor area.

The delegation then visited Bayon Temple, where they viewed its famous stone towers and carved faces, as well as bas-reliefs depicting the military, cultural and daily life of the Khmer Empire. Angkor Wat and Bayon are among the major historic temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century under King Suryavarman II and was originally dedicated to Vishnu before becoming a Buddhist temple. Bayon Temple was built in the late 12th or early 13th century under King Jayavarman VII and is renowned for its large carved stone faces.

Bayon originally had 54 towers featuring more than 200 large stone faces facing the four directions, while about 37 towers remain today. Its inner and outer walls feature detailed stone carvings portraying the daily life, trade and battles of the ancient Khmer people, making Bayon an important historical and cultural monument.