AngkorWat Temple

Angkor Wat Temple(Khmer: ប្រសាទអង្គរវត្ត) is the most significant temple and important archaeologicle park in South East Asia, contains manificient remains of Khmer empire from 9th to 15th century. Angkor was built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. It remains a significant religious centre dedicated to Hindu God, Vishnu, then Buddhism. The temple is at the top of the 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. Other temples of the same style and period include Thommanon, Banteay Samre, Wat Atwea and Beng Melea, which may have served as a prototype to Angkor Wat.

AngkorWat has three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next.

Nearly 2000 rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian art era. As you will see the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II.

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.

sourced:cambodia-tourism.org