Angkor Wat is a beautiful temple in Cambodia and the largest religious
monument in the world. It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the
early 12th century in Yaśodharapura which site measuring 162.6 hectares
(1,626,000 sq meters). It was constructed as a Hindu temple for the Khmer
Empire. After that it was transforming into a Buddhist temple toward the end of
the 12th century. Angkor Wat was built in the first half of the 12th century
(113-5BC).
construction time of the temple is 30 years by King Suryavarman II and dedicated to Vishnu (Hindu). Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a religious center since its foundation.
construction time of the temple is 30 years by King Suryavarman II and dedicated to Vishnu (Hindu). Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a religious center since its foundation.
The temple is at the top of the high
classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia,
appearing on Cambodia national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction
for visitors. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, relief's and
sculpture make it one of the finest monuments in the world. Angkor
Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals
of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous
Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless
sculptural decorations. UNESCO has set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard
this symbolic site and its surroundings.
Angkor Wat is located about six kilometers north of Siem
Reap. Entry and exit to Angkor Wat can only be access from its west gate. Its
mightiness and magnificence bespeak a pomp and a luxury surpassing that of a
Pharaoh or a Shah Jahan, an impressiveness greater than that of the Pyramids,
an artistic distinctiveness as fine as that of the Taj Mahal. Wat is the Khmer
name for temple which was probably added to "Angkor "when it became a
Theravada Buddhist monument, most likely in the sixteenth century. After
1432 when the capital moved to Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat was cared for by Buddhist
monks.
It is generally accepted that Angkor Wat was a funerary
temple for King Suryavarman II and oriented to the west to conform to the
symbolism between the setting sun and death. The bas-reliefs, designed for
viewing from left to right in the order of Hindu funereal ritual, support this
function.
Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple
architecture: the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple. It is
designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within
a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres long are three rectangular galleries, each
raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
Unlike most Angkorian temples. Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are
divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur
and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the
numerous devatas adorning its walls.
