Steps leading up to the second gallery:
Angkor Wat ("Capital Temple") is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world measuring 162.6 hectares. It was originally constructed in early 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire and gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant 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 (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. Within the moat is the outer wall 3.6 kilometers long and there 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 (deity) adorning its walls.
Loading contexts...
