Angkor Wat Temple

Angkor Wat in 1866

Angkor Wat (អង្គរវត្ត) is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarmarn II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation - first Hindo, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

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 kilometer long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the center 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.

View of Angkor Wat Temple From the Top

 For More Information Visited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat

Source: Wikipedia.com