Angkor Wat
Location
About
The largest religious monument ever constructed, Angkor Wat was built by Khmer king Suryavarman II between 1113 and 1150 CE as a Hindu temple to Vishnu, then later converted to Theravada Buddhism. Its five towers represent Mount Meru, the cosmic axis. The 3.6 km outer wall and surrounding moat create a representation of the universe in stone. The galleries contain the longest continuous bas-relief in the world at 800 meters.
Significance
Angkor Wat is simultaneously the world's largest religious building and the supreme achievement of Khmer civilization. Built to represent the cosmos in architectural form, it embodies the Hindu-Buddhist cosmological vision of Mount Meru surrounded by oceans. The site's seamless integration of astronomical alignments, symbolic architecture, and extraordinary craftsmanship makes it one of humanity's supreme artistic and spiritual achievements.
History & Historical Arc
Suryavarman II built Angkor Wat as his state temple and mausoleum, oriented to the west (direction of death) unlike most…
Archaeological Notes
LiDAR surveys (2012, 2015) revealed that medieval Angkor was the world's largest pre-industrial urban complex, covering …
Key Features & Structures
- Five towers representing Mount Meru
- 800m bas-relief gallery (Churning of the Ocean of Milk, etc.)
Visitor Information
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Open year-round; sunrise visit recommended. 3-day Angkor Pass covers entire Angkor complex.
Related Figures
In the Bible
Source References
- Zhou Daguan, A Record of Cambodia (1296 CE)
- Coedes, The Indianized States of Southeast Asia (1968)