Finding a similarity between an ancient area and a contemporary area - Essay Example

The similarity between Angkor Wat, Cambodia and Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Angkor Wat and The Cathedral of Our lady of Angels are two points in history that remain significant to this day. In fact, Angkok Wat is so significant, it is known as one of the 7th wonder of the world. They have both been places of religious and political significance, and more so, the Cathedral was not built centuries ago. The Angkor Wat and The Cathedral of Our lady of Angels are very similar in many of the aspects; including architecture, historical perspective and other chronological events that occur in them.

It is the focus of this paper to look into the similarities of the architectural designs of both places; Angkor Wat and The Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels.The Architectural designs of Angkor Wat are so unique in style and definition. The site plan itself is difficult to comprehend, it looks like a special combination of the temple mountains, a standard design for the empire’s temples and concentric galleries’. It looks like a representation of a mountain that had five peaks at the central quincunx towers, the home of the gods, the walls and the moat on the other hand definitely express the mountain ranges and oceans.

There is a strict order of hierarchy in the temple; access is very exclusive and only the laity can be able to access the lower levels of the temple. The plan of the church is one of the prime examples of the Khmer architectures. The visible areas of the block indicate the sandstone blocks, laterite seems to have been used on the outer walls and some hidden structural parts of the walls. There is a very close association in the architecture of Angkor Wat, it has a level of perfection in its monuments and sculptures with finely divided elements and arrangements; all proportional to their precise order.

They express the power, unity and style in the design. The Temple has integrated decoration on the walls of the galleries’ that bear a series of large scenes that probably depicts the people episodes in the Hindu epics. Some of the episodes include the Battle of Lanka, the battle of Kurukshetra, the churning of the sea and others in the main galleries’. The design architecture is a smooth and polished marble that has been put together in very tight joints of mortise and the tenon joints while others have dovetail and gravity.

It is a wonderful sight to behold. Access to the temple was that of very high security it has a very thick wall that is about 4.2 m high. It has an apron of about 30 m apart and a moat that is more than 150m wide. It has only specific access points by an earth bank to the east, sandstone to the west and a wooden bridge at the main entrance. The graduated tier like design, each makes a rise higher than the other to taper at a point in a conical shape and a row of lotuses; this is a very spectacular view in Angkor Wat.

In fact, the architectural design is both attractive and confusing due to its vastness. It has a complexity and beauty that is always the focus of attention. It has the galleries, porches and courtyards that get connected by the stairways. This is a perfect design that only resembles the lotus bud. Experiences of the people who visit The Angkor Wat say that is a wonderful place, romantic and an impressive sight of the world.On the other hand, The Cathedral of Our lady of Angels is another unique religious architectural feature and one of the most recent places.

It has been a key feature in Los Angeles since it was built at around 1998 although its history has been traced back since the 1876. It was initially referred to as The Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, later recognized as The Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe as commissioned by the Holy See. The name The Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels was proposed years back and this history still counts for today. Just like Angkor; the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels has been a modern day symbol of architecture.

The basis of the architectural design is based on the aspect of the light of God and the journey that express the relationship with God. The church has a symbolic glass shelter that allows light to flood into the church. It has a large slanted shaft that allows the light. It has also one of the largest alabaster windows in the whole world that permits light into the church. Just the sight of the interior designs, ambulatory with the inclines and the declining floors are lined with limestone rocks that give a perfect journey within the interior of the church.

The Light brings about the diversity of the environment. The varied shapes and designs draw people around the vast region for people worshiping space. In addition, there is a secret ceiling of the temple just right above the Alter. Moreover, the alabaster cross; a huge design slanted on the cross beam is a unique symbol. It is a big facility that has processions, and mass. The design has features of a series of obtuse and acute angles and not right angles. It also has the most modern statuary that decorates the main galleries’ of the church complex.

The most significant in these places are the bronze doors and the statue of the Virgin Mary all adorning towards the entrance. This church is a 12 storey high building vast enough to care for about 3000 worshippers at any given time. Just like Angkor Wat, it also has water features in the environment and several gardens. The monuments in the church as decorates also provide a unique feature of the religions scenarios. It has tapestries such as the communion of saints and also the plaza fountain.

Just like the Angkok temple, there was a mausoleum within the church that was created which had niches that had been designed for burial. All the church faithful were memorialized at the church including the ordinaries of the archbishops. The design of the church is a very unique and it is referred to as the postmodern architectural design.In summary, the Cambodian Angkor Wat and The Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels are very similar. Besides their original places of location, they were relocated to some other place as a result of politics and the interest of the people that have not been mentioned here, they as well had very unique architectural designs that make them a fine place to always be recognized.

They share the historical set up as religious centers by the Romans and the Buddhists. And they all have a mausoleum in the temples for the recognition of their faithful.BibliographyAbout: History. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Web. Retrieved 18th October 2012. http://www.olacathedral.org/cathedral/about/history1.htmlArchitecture: Interior. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angles. Wed. Retrieved 18th October 2012. http://www.olacathedral.org/cathedral/about/architect1.htHigham, Charles. Early Cultures of Mainland Southeast Asia.

Art Media Resources. 2003Michel , Petrotchenko. Focusing on the Angkor Temples: The Guidebook, Amarin Printing and Publishing, 2011.