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Angkor Archeological Park, in Cambodia, stretches over 400 square
kilometers and contains the magnificent remains of the different
capitals of the Khmer empire. The sites contained in the park
date from the 9th to the 15th centuries and consist of many spectacularly
carved structures. Over 100 temples can be seen, both Hindu and
Buddhist.
Entrance
into the Angkor Archeological Park is restricted to a central
gatehouse. Foreign tourists are charged, but the local people
are not. Most of the sites are accessible by dirt roads. Some
of the sites are currently under archeological excavation while
other locations are being reclaimed by the forest and have massive
banyon trees growing through them.
Angkor has
suffered greatly from the effects of looting, civil war, weather,
vegetation, and neglect. Angkor was added to the World Heritage
List in December 1992 and has since received much interest, funding,
and research. It has also seen a dramatic increase in tourism-a
two-edged sword. Angkor and the nearby town of Siem Reap are in
desperate need of planning to encourage, yet control, the flood
of tourists.
The Sphere
Park/Parque de Esferas shares a similar layout to that of Angkor-a
large archeological site with distinct points of interest. Both
have suffered from vandalism and neglect, but are now enjoying
renewed attention. Angkor also serves as a warning that tourism
needs to be planned for during the original creation of the park.
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