Angkor
Wat
Constructed : Early or Mid 12th
Century : 1113-1150
Religion : Hindu
King : SuryavarmanII
Location : On the
small circuit.
7Km from City, by the Saldego way are Dokmai Way.
Believed to have been
constructed as a temple and mausoleum for King SuryavarmaII at the Khmer empire
in the first half of the 12th century, Angkor wat is probably the
best-preserved of the Angkorian temples. As with other Angkorian temple and
walled cities such as Angkor Thom, the central theme of Khmer architecture revolved
around the idea of the temple-mountain. By the time building on Angkor Wat was
begun early in the 12th century, this had been elaborated to a
central tower surrounded by four small towers. The central monument represents
the mythical mount Meru, the holy mountain at the center of the universe
symbolize Mountain Meru’s five peaks.
There is a gate
in each side of the wall, but unusually for the mainly Hindu-influenced
Angkorian temple, the main entrance face west. This entrance is a richly
decorated portico, 235 m wide with three gates. However, the temple’s greatest sculptural
treasure is its 2 km-long bas-reliefs around the walls of the outer gallery and
the hundred figures of devatas and apsaras. This intricately carved gallery
tells stories of the god Vishnu and of Suryavarman II’s successes on the
battlefield. The whole complex covers 81 hectares.
Copy from Hotel Directory on
page 128-129.
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