CAMBODIAN

ARCHITECTURE
GEOGRAPHY
 Kambuja = Cambodia
 Capital: Phnom Penh
 Total Land Area: 180,513 sq.
km
 Location: bordering the Gulf
of Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
 Country’s area consists of
rolling plains
 Tonle Sap (Great Lake)
 Mekong River
RELIGION

 Buddhism / Theravada Buddhism

 Other Religion:
Christian, Islam, Animist, Baha’is, Jews,
and Cao Dai adherents
MATERIALS

BRICK SANDSTONE LATERITE

STUCCO WOOD
NATURAL RESOURCES
 Oil and gas
 Timber
 Gemstones
 Some iron ore
 Manganese
 Phosphates
 Hydropower potential
TECHNOLOGY

 Bronze tools
 Used in making tools,
ritual objects, weapons,
ornaments
 Use of bronze casting
influenced by China and
India
SOCIO-CULTURAL

 Homogenous country; 95% speaks Khmer

 Marriage – lasted 1 ½ days, formerly 3 days
 Social – Matriarchal
 Customs
Head - contains the soul
SOCIO-CULTURAL
 Clothing

 Krama  Sampot  Sarong

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
CAMBODIAN ARCHITECTURE
I. STRUCTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 Central Sanctuary
The Central Sanctuary of an
Angkorian temple was home to the
temple’s primary deity, the one to
whom the site was dedicated:
- Shiva and Vishnu = Hindu
 STRUCTURE

temple
- Budda = Buddhist temple
The deity was represented by a
statue
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Prang
Prang is the tall finger-like spire,
usually richly carved, common to
 STRUCTURE

much Khmer religious architecture

 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Gallery
A gallery is a passageway
running along the wall of an
enclosure or along the axis
 STRUCTURE

of a temple, often open to

one or both sides
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Gopura
A gopura is an entrance
building. At Angkor, passage
through the enclosure walls
surrounding a temple
 STRUCTURE

compound is frequently
accomplished by means of an
impressive gopura
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Hall of Dancers
Is the centre of the
temple with 48 pillars
 STRUCTURE

supporting its corbelled roof

 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 House of Fire
Dharmasala, is the name
given to a type of building
found only on temples
constructed during the reign
of 12th century monarch
Jayavarman VII: Preah Khan, Ta
 STRUCTURE

Prohm and Banteay Chmar.

A house of fire has thick walls,
a tower at the west end and
south-facing windows
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Library
A common feature of
Khmer temple architecture.
Most likely functioned
 STRUCTURE

broadly as religious shrine

rather than strictly as
repositories of manuscripts
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 Srah and Baray
Srahs and Barays were
reservoirs, generally created
by excavation and
embankment respectively.
 STRUCTURE

The two largest reservoirs at

Angkor were the West Baray
and East Baray, located on
either side of Angkor Thom
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Temple Mountain
An architectural
representation of Mount
 STRUCTURE

Meru, the home of the gods

in Hindu mythology
II. ELEMENTS
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 Blind Door and Window
Angkorian shrines frequently opened in only one direction, typically to the east. The
other three sides featured fake or blind doors to main symmetry. Blind windows were
often used alongside otherwise blank walls
 Colonette
Narrow decorative columns that served as supports for the beams and lintels above
doorways or windows
 ELEMENTS

 Corbelling
Corbel arch were used in order to construct rooms, passageways and openings in
buildings.
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 Lintel, Pediment & Tympanum
Lintel is horizontal beam connecting two vertical columns between which runs a
door or passageway
Pediment is a roughly triangular structure above a lintel
Tympanum is the decorated surface of a pediment.
 ELEMENTS

 Stairs
Angkorian stairs are notoriously steep
III. MOTIFS
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 Apsaras and Devatas
Apsaras, divine nymphs or celestial
dancing girls, are characters from
Indian mythology. The term ‘apsara’
is sometimes used to refer not
only to dancers but also to other
minor female deities. Though
minor female deities who are
 MOTIF

depicted standing about rather

than dancing are more commonly
called ‘devatas’
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Dvarapala
Dvarapalas, are human or
demonic temple guardians,
generally armed with lances and
clubs. Their function is to
 MOTIF

protect the temples.

 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Gajasimha
Is a mythical animal with the
body of a lion and the head of
an elephant. At Angkor, it is
portrayed as a guardian of
temples and as a mount for
 MOTIF

some warriors
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Garuda
Is a divine being that is part man and part bird. He
is the lord of birds, the mythological enemy of
nagas, and the battle steed of Vishnu. God of
strength and vigilance
 MOTIF
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Indra
In the medieval Hinduism of
Angkor, however, he had no
religious statues, and served
only as a decorative motif in
 MOTIF

architecture
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Linga
Is a phallic post or cylinder symbol of the god Shiva
and of creative power.
As a religious symbol, the function of the linga is
primarily that of worship and ritual, and only
 MOTIF

secondarily that of decoration

 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Makara
 Naga
 Naga Bridge
 Quincunx
 MOTIF

 Shiva
 Vishnu
PLANS

 Combination of temple mountain

 Mostly oriented in north-south
 The design is similar to Indian temples
EXAMPLES
 TEMPLES
 ANGKOR THOM – The Impressive
Cambodian Architecture
- “Great City”
- Last and longest capital city of the
Khmer Empire
- Most of the structures were built
under Jayavarman VII
- Consisted of temple complex
- Constructed in Bayon Style

Location: Siem Reap, Cambodia Area: 16 sq. km.

 TEMPLES
 Bayon Temple
- Built by Jayavarman VII at Angkor
Thom, to Buddha
- Distinctive massive stone faces
carved into stone towers, with the
likeness of Jayavarman VII
- Built in a ‘chaotic’ style, with more
attention to quantity rather than
quality, but still in perfect symmetry
- 54 large and small towers with
faces of Avalokitesvara, or Location: Center of Angkor Thom
Lokesvara
 TEMPLES
 Preah Khan
- Dedicated by the great king
Jayavarman VII to his father in 1191
- Serves today as an outstanding
example of a large linear temple
complex in a dense jungle setting.
- Has a two-storey building with round
columns
- Contains a stupa in the Central Shine
Hall of Dancers South Hall
 TEMPLES
 ANGKOR WAT – The most famous
Cambodian Architecture
- Built by Suyavarman II, to Vishnu, at
Angkor, as the state temple and his
eventual mausoleum
- “Temple City”
- Largest religious monument in the
world
- Has a moat, an outer wall, a temple
mountain, and three galleries
- Orient in the reverse direction (W)
than other temples
Location: Siem Reap, Cambodia Area: 200ha
TEMPLES
 PALACE

 ROYAL PALACE OF CAMBODIA –

the Shining Cambodian Architecture
- A Khmer-style Throne Hall that was
built in 1866
- A symbol of the Kingdom.
- To serve as the residence of the King
of Cambodia and his family

Location: Phnom Penh capital, Cambodia

NEPALESE
ARCHITECTURE
GEOGRAPHY
 Capital:
 Kathmandu
 Patan
 Bhadgaon
 Total Land Area: 147,181 sq. km
 Location: between the two
greatest civilization
 India – west, south, and east
 China – Tibetan autonomous
region of the People’s
Republic of China in the
north
 TOPOGRAPHY
 Divided into 3 Regions:
1. Himalaya to the north
Mt. Everest – highest
point
2. Hills consisting of the
Mahabharat range and
the Churia Hills
3. Terai to the south
CLIMATIC INFLUENCES

 Ranges from sub-tropical in the low lands to Arctic

higher altitudes.
 6 major climatic zones: Tropical, subtropical, temperate,
subalpine, alpine, and tundra
GEOLOGICAL INFLUENCES
 WOOD used as columns, beams, rafters and for construction
of doors, windows and stairs.
 METALS like copper, iron, brass, bronze were commonly
used.
 NATURAL STONE – sedimentary rocks or metamorphic
stone gathered from the quarries situated on the north and
south sides of mountain slopes
 BRICKS and TILES – mud bricks were used for construction
of walls. Clay tiles were extensively used for roof coverings
and for courtyard paving, terrace floors, and floor coverings
HISTORICAL & SOCIAL INFLUENCES

 Newars and Gurkhas (of Tibetan Mongol stock)

settled in early times and established and indigenous
style in art and architecture which has never been
modified
 Art flourished during the reign of Mulla Rajas (13th-18th
century)
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
 Hinduism
Predominate religion with 81.2%
of the population
 Buddhism
(Tibetan Tantric) is the next
largest religion with 11%
 Islam
With 4.2%
 Kirat
With 3.6% Saddhus – Hindu holy men
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
 Temples, shrines, monuments, and
monasteries are extremely active with devotees
burning butter-lamps, singing hymns, chiming
temple bells, and playing drums

Buddha with 3rd eye on forehead:

symbolizes enlightenment in both Buddhism and Hinduism
ARCHITECTURAL STYLES

 Drawn from both cultures of India and China

 3 ARCHITECTURAL STYLES
1. Pagoda Style
2. Stupa Style
3. Sikharas Style
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Characteristic architectural heritage

1. Stupas/Chorten – oldest monuments
2. Temples
3. Towns
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 SWAYAMBHUNATH, KATHMANDU
A golden spire crowning a conical
wooded hill, Swayambhunath Stupa
is the most ancient and enigmatic of
all the holy shrines in Kathmandu
Valley
Conical spire in 13 diminishing tiers
symbolizing the 13 buddhist heaven
with umbrella apex.
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 SWAYAMBHUNATH, KATHMANDU
Square base which has a large pair of
human eyes – symbolizes the “All
Seeing One”
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 BOUDHANATH, KATHMANDU
- Is the largest and most sacred
Tibetan Buddhist site outside of Tibet.
- Massive, semicircular white dome
and the towering spire, with
unblinking eyes painted on each side
that stare into 4 directions
- Gaya-jatri – festival to worship the
holy cows.
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 MAJU DEGA TEMPLE, KATHMANDU
-

Plan and section

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 LUHAN DEGA TEMPLE, KATHMANDU

-
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 BHAI DEGA TEMPLE, PATAN

-
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 CHANGU NARAYAN TEMPLE, KATHMANDU

One of the oldest Hindu temples of the valley dedicated to
Vishnu. Constructed in the 3rd century
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 BAGH BHAIRAB TEMPLE, KATHMANDU
This temple is very popular in Nepal among Hindu people.
Worshipping Bhairab provides good luck and progress.
It is the only temple in the Kathmandu valley dedicated to
the "Tiger" form of Bhairav, which is manifested in the
form of a small clay tiger that is remade every 15-25 years
as the old image grows fragile.
Although the site is most notable for its massive three-
story temple tower (rectangular, like all Bhairav temples),
its grounds house numerous smaller shrines housing
various images, some dating back to as early as the 3rd-
4th centuries.
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Towns:
 Newar Architecture by the indigenous inhabitants of Kathmandu valley
 Typical formal feature is the monumental pillar supporting a metal superstructure adorned with mystical symbol group
of divinities and portrait statuary of royalties.
 Newars developed their own architectural styles and technology mainly based on two building materials: wood and
clay (bricks) with metal used for ornaments
 Street facades of houses usually planned with intertior courtyards are elaborately treated.
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 Buildings are of 3-storey: ground floor served as a shop, recessed beneath an overhanging first floor
which is overhung by the upper level
 Trabeated system of construction:
Wooden posts, beams and struts used in houses are clear intermingling of the structure and ornamentation.
 Each floor is supported by brackets and struts. Ornately curved and sometimes painted
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 DURBAR SQUARE
Generic name used to describe plazas opposite old
royal palaces in Nepal

Patan

Bhaktapur

Kathmandu
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 SACRED TOWN OF PASUPATI

Stands on the banks of Bagmati,
dedicated to Lord Shiva
Holy Region of Hindu, and community
of Nepalese Buddhist
Consists of stone and wooden
temples, with a burning ghat by the river.
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 ROOFS – most striking

architectural feature:
 Double pitched roof with the ridge on
the line of the central spine wall. The
structure is of timber and comprises
columns on the central line
 Hovering roof form with bracket
support overhanging precariously on
building walls with bracket support
 Set one over the other in a Pagoda
form
 Covered with special clay tiles
(jhingati) with metal gutters.
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 WINDOWS – have intricate lattice

screens
 ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
 DURBAR SQUARE
Ancient royal residential square of Malla Kings
Consist of the following:
1. Golden Gate
2. A palace of 55 windows
3. The Lion Gate
4. Statue of Bhupatindra Malla
5. Biggest bell in the whole Kingdom
6. Pagodas and Sikhara temples
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 DURBAR SQUARE
1. Golden Gate
 Dates from the reign of Raja Ranjit
Malla in 1786 AD
 Famous as the Richest Piece of Art in
the whole Kingdom
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 DURBAR SQUARE
2. Palace of 55 Windows
 Old palace of brick walls
remarkable for its carved
balcony with 55 windows.
Built by Raja Yasksha Malla
in 1427AD
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 DURBAR SQUARE
3. The Lion Gate
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 DURBAR SQUARE
4. Statue of Bhupatindra Malla
Famous for its arts in column
Erected by Raja Yasksha Malla in 1427 AD
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 DURBAR SQUARE
5. Biggest Bell in the whole
Kingdom
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

 DURBAR SQUARE
6. Pagodas and Sikharas
CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS
NEPALESE ARCHITECTURE
CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS

o Nepalese hesitates to shake hands with you

o “Namaste” – common act done by putting the palms together in a prayer like gesture.
o Customary to eat and deal with food with your right hand
o Men and women should always dress appropriately
o Showing affection between men and women in public is not acceptable