Culture in Cambodia

 Throughout Cambodia's long history, religion has been an important source of cultural inspiration. For nearly 2,000 years, Cambodians have developed a unique culture and belief system through the fusion of indigenous animistic beliefs and the Indian religions of Buddhism and Hinduism. Cambodia's unparalleled achievements in art, architecture, music and dance from the 9th century to her 14th century greatly influenced many neighboring kingdoms, namely Thailand and Laos. The influence of Khmer culture is still felt in these countries, as they share many characteristics with modern-day Cambodia.

Cambodia's Golden Age was the Angkor period from the 9th to the 14th centuries, when Cambodia was a powerful and wealthy empire that flourished and controlled most of the interior of Southeast Asia. [2] Angkor eventually fell after many battles between the kings and constant wars with its increasingly powerful neighbors, especially Siam and Dai Viet. Many temples from this period, such as Bayon and the Angkor Wat, still stand today and are scattered across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, reminding us of the greatness of Khmer art and culture.

The architects and sculptors of Angkor created temples that represented the cosmic world in stone. Khmer décor takes inspiration from religion, with walls carved with mythical creatures from Hinduism and Buddhism. The temple was built according to the rules of ancient Khmer architecture, which stipulated that the layout of the temple included a central shrine, a courtyard, surrounding walls, and a moat. Khmer motifs include many creatures from Buddhist and Hindu mythology, including the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh and motifs such as the Hindu mythical bird Garuda.