Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is the best-preserved temple at this significant site and the only one to have remained in religious use, now providing a base for Buddhist worship in the area. Epitomising the high classical style of Khmer architecture, the temple is a symbol of Cambodia for many. It appears on the national flag and is the country's leading tourist attraction.

Oriented to the west, unlike most other Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat was built to represent Mount Meru, the mythological home of the Hindu devas. Its key features include its moat, outer wall and three rectangular galleries, each higher than the other. No inscriptions or stela survive from the original construction phase; what is known has been pieced together through archaeological finds and carbon dating.  

Images

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