Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat  is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia,
built for the king Suryavarman 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 Hindu, dedicated to the god
Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building.
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.
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 Deva's 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. 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 deviates (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"; Angkor is a
vernacular form of the word នគរ nokor which comes from the Sanskrit
word नगर nagara meaning capital or city. Wat is the Khmer word for
temple. Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok,
after the posthumous title of its founder, Suryavarman II.

The Khmer people who had established the mighty civilization on the
banks of the Mekong river during the period ranging from the 9th to
the 15th centuries, reached the zenith of their cultures and religious
activity during the period of Angkor Wat, as seen now in its ruins.
The Grand Corridor beneath the five spires of Angkor Wat was adorned
with graceful figures of dancing DEVATE (goddess), and troops of
mighty Khmer soldiers on the march.

The Bayon is decorated with 54 gigantic sculptures consisting of faces
of Kannon, the Buddhist deity. The terrace of the leper king depicts
popular aspects of life during his reign, while displaying at the same
time the marvelous harmony in the worship of the Gods and the Buddha,
in the Hindu and Buddhist religions respectively. Angkor Wat has
indeed proved itself to be an incomparable theasure of mankind, with
regard to its greatness and beauty.