Cambodia is a destination that offers many different things to travellers; one aspect of the country is its historical legacy which is evidenced in the monuments built by the Khmer Empire, another is the wonderful cultural experience of authentic Cambodian food, dance and music and finally exploring the turbulent past of the nation is also a profoundly moving experience for many.
Angkor is a historical city that is thought to have served as the seat of power for the Khmer Empire from the 9th century to the 13th century. This attraction is probably the most visited by tourists that come to Cambodia, and is definitely one of the highlights of travelling here. The ruins of this ancient city are found close to the modern city of Siem Reap.
Historically the city was established in the latter part of the ninth century by a Hindu king known as Jayavarman II, who was responsible for the independence of Cambodia from the larger Java Empire; this was the foundation upon which later Khmer kings built their empire. The city endured as the capital for another five hundred years until the Khmer Empire fells at the hands of Ayutthaya, a Siamese king.
The Angkor National Museum has one of the finest collections of this fallen but not yet forgotten Khmer Empire which was responsible for much of the Cambodian culture that is seen today. Statues and sculptures that were painstakingly unearthed among the ruins of the ancient city by several teams of archaeologists are on display here; they have an accompanying description that details the age and function of each item and is very useful for tourists.
Currently the museum has more than a thousand artefacts most of which belong to the Khmer Empire; some of the items from the latter periods of Angkor, show a marked Siamese influence. This chronicles the growing influence of the Kingdom of Siam towards the latter part of the 13th century in Cambodia. The museum can be easily accessed by tourists staying at a luxury hotel Siem Reap. As the museum is within a short distance of the city those staying at a Siem Reap hotel such as Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor should not miss the opportunity to visit this attraction.