This temple is very magnificent and has an interesting history. The surrounding scenery is really wonderful. It's very old and large temple indeed. It's amazing that "it was merely built by stacking stones and craving reliefs symbols on them as well es building statues and stupas, without any usage of cements nor any other kind of adhesive materials".
It's so sad to know that some statues, some stones or parts of the temple were destroyed by natural disasters; i.e. vulcan eruptions and earthquakes or by bombing incidents or by thiefs or by tourists, etc.
In the meantime, it's great to know that "the Dutch had once gifted the Thailand King “Chulalongkorn” eight carts of statues and stones carved with reliefs during his visit to Java at 1896 and some of them are now preserved and displayed at the National Museum of Bangkok".
Thanks so much for sharing. This temple is deserved to be "a World Cultural Heritage" indeed. ;)
p.s. Ah! You "were" quite sexy and "are" still sexy till present! I think @jaki01 would also certainly confirm this! ;)))
AH nooo, Tangmo. my shape is no that nice anymore hahaha. I am not tall, so the extra meat that came after I gave birth made it even worse LOL. You have seen me. So you know it LOL.
BTW.. it would have been better actually, if the gifted statues were returned to the original place again.
So the historical value of the temple can be enhanced.
Netherland colonial at that time has less respect towards the historical value of artworks belong to their colony, because they have robbed us everything anyway.
But any countries would be more than just grateful if only their valuable assets in the past can be returned to them again.
Unfortunately it can't always happen.
Yeah! I have seen you, so I know, even though you are not slender as when you were younger, you are still sexy in my eyes and especially in @jaki01's eyes..... Am I right, @jaki01? ;)))
Regarding the gifted statues, I agree with you, "they should be returned to the original place, so the historical value of the temple can be enhanced". I know how you feel.
As far as I can remember, we can successfully ask one of our ancient things that were displayed at the National Museum in the USA to return to Thailand in the past. Yeah! We were very happy about that.
In the meantime, there are others that are still displayed in other countries that we would love them to return to our country as well..... But, it can't happen!
Um! These facts are so sad indeed!