Interesting Facts about Cambodia

Did You Know?

16 curious facts about Cambodia.

• When a child loses a tooth, if they lose a lower tooth, they throw it on the roof. If they lose an uppe rtooth, they put it under their bed. Their parents tell them that the new tooth will grow toward the old one and come in straight.
• Located in Northwestern Cambodia, Angkor, the Capital of the Ancient Khmer Empire was possibly founded around the Ninth Century AD by King Jayavarman II. However, the city reached its peak glory in the 12th Century under Kings Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII. The most beautiful and most famous monument in the city, Angkor Wat, lies about one kilometer south of the Royal town of Angkor Thom which was founded by Jayavarman VII. The Temple of Angkor Wat was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between AD 1131 and 1150. The Temple was constructed over a period of 30 years, and illustrates some of the most beautiful examples of Khmer and Hindu art. Covering an area of about 81 hectares, the complex consists of five towers, which are presently shown on the Cambodian national flag. These towers are believed to represent the five peaks of Mount Meru, the Home of Gods and Center of the Hindu Universe. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls, narrating stories from Hindu Mythology. With the decline of the Ancient Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat was turned into a Buddhist Temple and was continuously maintained, which helped its preservation. In 1992, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee declared the monument, and the whole city of Angkor, a World Heritage Site.
• Historians have different opinions as to the number of inhabitants living in the Aztec capital before the arrival of the Spaniards. While it is believed that the city had a minimum of 100 thousand inhabitants, others estimate that this population surpassed 200 thousand. Tenochtitlan was built on a series of islands situated in one of the shallow lakes, which at the time, covered a large part of the Valley of Mexico. Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs extended and consolidated land for construction purposes and linked the islands by means of three wide causeways and aqueducts that channeled pure water to the city. The Aztec capital was crossed by many canals along which thousand of canoes were paddled. The city center was occupied by a sacred area formed by dozens of temples and palaces, among which the Main Temple dedicated to rain god Tláloc and sun god, Huitzilopochtli, whom the Aztecs considered their protector, was especially important. The city was divided into neighborhoods called calpulli, where local inhabitants had use of agricultural lands. Farmers took water from the canals to water their groves, and the cultivation of crops on chinampas was widespread. Although these floating platforms are always damp and produce excellent harvests, they need to be painstakingly cared for and cultivated.
• Over two thousand years in the making, the Banaue rice terraces are often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world. As landscapes go, there can be few more spectacular and breathtaking than those around Banaue in the Central Cordillera mountain range on the island of Luzon. Remote villages, mysterious headhunting tribes and, of course, the terraces themselves will intrigue any visitor to the Philippines to explore the magnificent natural surroundings of Banaue. The Ifugao tribespeople who created and farmed the terraces in order to supply their staple crop of rice have in doing so left behind an architectural masterpiece. The fact that they were constructed using only primitive tools and bare hands makes the terraces even more astounding. They need constant upkeep but unfortunately today's young generation no longer feel the need to farm rice so the terraces are increasingly left to ruin.