Angkor Wat in Miniature - Siem Reap, Cambodia
The town of Siem Reap is located near the ruined temples of Angkor, and most tourists know it simply as a base for exploring the ruins in the area. But on a quiet residential street there is a small garden of architectural replicas built by artist Dy Prueng that is worth a visit. Here the most famous monuments have been carefully recreated in miniature from cast concrete and plaster, with colorful landscaping. The attention to scale and accuracy is evidenced by large floor plans on display in an upper level work area which doubles as an overlook for getting an aerial view of the temples. The artist and his garden have been recognized by the Cambodian government as culturally important, but the site receives few visitors. Dy himself was not around when I visited, but it was intriguing to peek into the work areas to see his work process as well as other paintings and artworks which he has created.
