Built by
Suryavarman II (c. 1113 - 1150), the temple complex of Angkor
Wat in northwestern
Cambodia has five central
shrines, a moat and three galleries which encircle the main buildings. It is located in
Angkor, near
Siem Reap and is the largest religious structure in the world. Angkor was the capital of the ancient
Khmer Empire, and was founded around the 9th century A.D. by King
Jayavarman II.
The temple was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II. It was constructed over a period of 30 years and features the best of Khmer and Hindu art. The five towers of the temple are said to represent the five peaks of Mount Meru, the home of the gods and the center of the Hindu universe. The moat and buildings surrounding the temple are representative of the lower ranges and oceans that surround the mountain. The towers used to appear on the flag of the Khmer Rouge and are on the Cambodian national flag today. The temple also features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world; it runs along the main gallery walls on the outside. It shows scenes narrating stories from Hindu Mythology. The central entryway to the temple is nearly a half a kilometer in length, and it features ornate balustrades. This entrance represents the rainbow bridge of Hindu belief, which is the link between heaven and earth, between the world of the gods and the world of human beings. In the area around the temple, there are massive artificial lakes, called barays, which are hand dug reservoirs.
Angkor Wat represents one of the most stunning examples of human architectural achievements. The kings of the old empire ruled a vast region that stretched from present day southern Vietnam to Yunan, China and west of Vietnam to the Bay of Bengal. The structures that remain are part of an old system of buildings that existed in an administrative city constructed largely of wood, which have long since fallen. Still, over 100 temples remain standing in Angkor today. The location of Angkor was originally chosen because of its strategic position due in large part to the Tonle Sap hydrological system, yet it eventually developed into one of the greatest pilgrimage destinations in the region due to The Cult of Devaraja as well. Because of this, increasingly grand temples were constructed which became symbolic of the king's divine rule over the empire, represented by the Shiva Lingam; worship of Lingam was the official religious practice of the state. This connection between the ruler of the empire and his divine right to rule would continue on for years to come, notably by Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat.
In 1431, the Thais invaded the city and the Khmers abandoned it shortly after. Angkor Wat remained lost for years after, until Buddhist monks came across it and attached special significance to the site. They believed that it had been built by the gods in an ancient era. It is due to the conversion of the site into a Buddhist temple that Angkor Wat is in as beautiful condition today as it is. These stories that the Buddhist monks imagined became legends that spread and drew pilgrims from Asia that sought out the mystical city. Some European travellers knew of Angkor Wat, but little more than tales of a strange palace in the jungle were told in those years. However, in 1860, Henri Mouhot, a French explorer, brought the world's attention to the beautiful temple. The French began funding a huge restoration effort beginning in 1908 and continuing through to the present day, halting only briefly during the 1970's and 80's when war prevented any archaeologists from living near the temple safely. In 1992, UNESCO World Heritage Committee declared Angkor Wat, as well as the entire city of Angkor a World Heritage Site.
Sources & Further Information:
http://www.asiatour.com/cambodia/e-04angk/ec-ang11.htm
http://www.leidenuniv.nl/pun/ubhtm/mjk/angkorwa.htm
http://www.sacredsites.com/1st30/angkorwa.html
http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/Forgotten/angkor.html
Photographs — If nothing else, please look at this site.
It's easily one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen.
http://www.leidenuniv.nl/pun/ubhtm/mjk/mjk066.jpg
http://www.leidenuniv.nl/pun/ubhtm/mjk/mjk075.jpg
http://www.leidenuniv.nl/pun/ubhtm/mjk/mjk079.jpg
http://www.leidenuniv.nl/pun/ubhtm/mjk/mjk078.jpg
http://www.sacredsites.com/images/final30/17.jpg
Other temples in Angkor:
http://www.sacredsites.com/images/final56/309.jpg — Temple of Ta Prohm
http://www.sacredsites.com/images/dec2000/Angkor4.jpg — Bayon Temple
*Thanks to liontamer for helping me neaten this up. =)