Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
janaline's world journey

Tree Roots shroud Ta Prohm Temple

Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
The tree root shrouded entrance to Ta Prohm Temple

The ancient city of Angkor used to be a capital of the ancient Khmer Empire of Cambodia and one of the largest cities in the world. This huge complex of buildings, covering about 600 square kilometers, was known far beyond the Khmer Empire until it was destroyed by Siamese troops in 1431.

Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
Exploring the overgrown Ta Prohm Temple

Till the end of the XIXth century, more than 100 palaces and temples were concealed under the shadow of lush tropical forest, when a French naturalist Henri Mouhot rediscovered it for humanity. In year 1992 the whole territory of Angkor was taken under the protection of UNESCO.

Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple

Unlike most of the temples of Angkor, Ta Prohm has been largely left to the clutches of the living jungle. This atmospheric temple ended up being my favourite Angkor Wat temple and probably the reason I ended up trying to capture every inch on film.

Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
Ta Prohm Temple is looking more derelict by the day
Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple

Shrouded in dense jungle the temple of Ta Prohm conjures up an eerie yet also romantic aura. Fig, banyan and kapok trees spreading their gigantic roots over stones, probing between the walls, intertwining to form a roof over the structures. There are tree trunks twisting up amongst the stone pillars. The temple is held in a stranglehold of trees where stone and wood are clasped together by tree roots.

Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
Ta Prohm Temple has no surface that nature is not trying to reclaim
Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple
Tree Root shroud Ta Prohm Temple

36 comments

    • I would love to go back again, maybe in spring when everything would be covered in green foilage. This amazing place is definitely one of the best places I havce ever had the opportunity to explore. And what made it so much more special is that I got to share this experience with my mom.

      Like

      Reply

Please share your thoughts,I would love to know what you think!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.