Siem Reap ( ), is a province
located in northwestern Cambodia
, on the
shores of the Tonle
Sap
lake. The provincial capital is Siem Reap
town. The name literally means"Siam
Defeated", a reminder of the centuries old conflict between the
Siamese and the Khmer. The province came under the control of the
Thai kingdom of
Ayutthaya and was later
returned to Cambodia in 1907 after French
gunboat diplomacy pressured Thai
concession of the area. This area became part of a disputed
territory between France and Siam(now Thailand) which led to the
Franco-Thai War in 1941, resulting
in victory for Thailand and a return back to Thai control. The
province again reverted to Cambodia in 1946, after the end of WW2
and French diplomatic pressure.
Today it is best known for the ruined temples
of Angkor
.
Overview
Statues on the bridge leading to
Victory Gate, Siem Reap, Cambodia (January 2005).
Located in northwest Cambodia, Siem Reap is a major tourist hub in
Cambodia.
The most recognizable of the temples,
Angkor
Wat
, literally Capital Temple, was built by
King Suryavarman II during the early
12th century. Recently the city has seen a great deal of
expansion; hundreds of hotels, restaurants and shops, catering to
both international and Cambodian tourists have opened to serve the
influx of visitors. Also, King
Norodom
Sihamoni and the Cambodian royal family maintain a residence in
the town. The Angkor temple complex is north of the city.
Siem Reap
Other
sites of interest near Siem Reap include Angkor Thom
built by Jayavarman
VII, Banteay
Srei
, Ta
Prohm
, as well as hundreds of other temple ruins.
Angkor, and the surrounding area that would later become known as
Siem Reap, faced repeated invasions from the Thais, and ceased to
be the capital after a seven-month siege in 1431.
The capital was moved
to Phnom
Penh
in 1432, and then to Lovek
and Oudong
, before
moving back to Phnom Penh in 1866. The temple ruins were
visited by Western explorers and missionaries before the 19th
century, but Henri Mouhot is generally
seen as having "discovered" Angkor Wat in 1860.
Subdivisions
The province is subdivided into 12 districts, 100 communes and 907
villages.
References
External links
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