Angkor Wat – Angkor Wat

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Today the name Angkor Wat has become synonymous with the vast site that sits outside Siem Reap, however is just one, albeit the most magnificent, of many temples in the area.

It dates from the time of King Suryavarman ll in the early 12th century and was his state temple. It is the largest and also the best-preserved temple at the site and has remained a significant religious centre since its foundation and thus, unlike for example, Ta Prohm was never jungle-clad.

It was first dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu before being converted to a Buddhist temple. Regarded as the very epitome of the Classical Style of Khmer architecture it combines both the tiered ‘mountain’ style (such as at the Baphuon) and the galleried style (such as at Ta Prohm).

A representation of Mount Meru (legendary home of the Hindu gods) in the form of 3 rectangular galleries each raised above the next sits within a moat and outer wall some 3.6km long; at the centre stands a collection of 5 towers. Most Angkorian temples are oriented to the east – not so with Angkor Wat which is aligned west.

The temple is admired for its overall magnificence and the superb bas reliefs that adorn the temple walls.

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