Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat (/ˌæŋkɔːr ្ត/; Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត, "City/Capital of Temples") is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world in terms of land area,[1] covering an area of 162.6 hectares (1.626 km2; 402 acres). Originally built as a Hindu temple [1] dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century and as such is also described as a "Hindu Buddhist" temple. 3] [4] It was built by the Khmer king Suryavarman II [5] in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura (Khmer: យសោធរបុរៈ, today's Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and finally as his mausoleum. Angkor Wat broke with the Shaiva tradition of the former kings and was dedicated to Vishnu instead. As the best preserved temple at this site, it is the only one that has remained an important religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the forefront of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia,[6] which appears on its national flag, and it is the country's main attraction for visitors. [7]

Angkor Wat combines two ground plans of Khmer temple architecture: the Temple Mount and the later Gallery Temple. It is supposed to represent the mountain Meru, the home of the Devas in Hindu mythology: Within a more than 5-kilometer-long moat [8] and a 3.6-kilometer-long outer wall, there are three rectangular galleries, each of which is elevated above the next. In the center of the temple is a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided on the meaning of this orientation. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of its architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and the numerous devatas that adorn its walls.

Angkor Wat (/ˌæŋkɔːr អង្គរវត/; Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត, "City/Capital of Temples") is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world in terms of land area,[1] covering an area of 162.6 hectares (1.626 km2; 402 acres). Originally built as a Hindu temple [1] dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century and as such is also described as a "Hindu Buddhist" temple. 3] [4] It was built by the Khmer king Suryavarman II [5] in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura (Khmer: យសោធរបុរៈ, today's Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and finally as his mausoleum. Angkor Wat broke with the Shaiva tradition of the former kings and was dedicated to Vishnu instead. As the best preserved temple at this site, it is the only one that has remained an important religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the forefront of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia,[6] which appears on its national flag, and it is the country's main attraction for visitors. [7]

Angkor Wat combines two ground plans of Khmer temple architecture: the Temple Mount and the later Gallery Temple. It is supposed to represent the mountain Meru, the home of the Devas in Hindu mythology: Within a more than 5-kilometer-long moat [8] and a 3.6-kilometer-long outer wall, there are three rectangular galleries, each of which is elevated above the next. In the center of the temple is a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided on the meaning of this orientation. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of its architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and the numerous devatas that adorn its walls.

• Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia
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