Angkor Wat is one of the most impressive historical sites of Cambodia. King Suryavarman II constructed the temple in the 12th century to be the official Khmer temple of the whole country. In fact, it is the only religious center in the area that still holds significant importance.
Moreover, hundreds of tourists who spend their vacations in Cambodia would commonly explore the Angkor Wat complex of Temples. This complex factually holds the same importance as the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Eiffel Tower in France, and Hagia Sophia in Turkey. It is the most famous monument of the country and the most renowned landmark of Cambodia.
The name Angkor Wat, in the Khmer language, means the temple of the city. This name was given to this marvelous complex of temples because it was constructed and intended to be the official temple of the kingdom. Today, the temple welcomes hundreds of tourists who enjoy their holidays in Cambodia.
The Angkor Wat Temple was originally constructed for the worship of Vishnu, the famous Hindu god. Afterwards, an impressive Buddhism Temple was added to the complex as a wonderful contribution. The complex of temples of Angkor Wat is considered one of the best examples of the Khmer architecture to the extent that it is drawn on the flag of the country. This is besides being quite a popular touristic attraction that welcomes several travelers who spend their vacations in Cambodia.
Among the most distinctive features of the Angkor Wat Complex is that it gathers two major outlines of the Khmer architecture; the mountain temple and the galleried temple that was constructed later on and was inspired by the ancient Hindu architectural styles and outlines. The temple was constructed to represent the Mountain Mero that is the homeland of gods in ancient Hindu legends.
Other significant architectural elements of the temple include the outer wall that is more than 3.5 kilometers in length. There are also the significant five towers that form the lotus plant shape. One quite dissimilar feature of the temple is that the buildings of the temple were directed towards the West in contradiction with most of the temples built in the area. Travelers who tour Cambodia admire the wonderful statues and architecture of the Angkor Wat Complex.
The outer fence of Angkor Wat is quite impressive. It is 1024 meters wide and 4.5 meters in height. This is in addition to a water trench that is 190 meters in width. The temple has four main gates in the four directions. The Western gate, the direction which the buildings of the temple was directed to, is the most imposing with the presence of three ruined towers.
Located on a higher piece of land, in comparison to the area where it was constructed, the temple consists of three main galleries that lead to the central tower. Each level of the galleries is higher from the other. The first outer gallery has a measurement of 215 X 187 meters. It contains many marquees instead of towers in its corner. This gallery leads to the Buddhism hall of the complex that is quite remarkable. Travelers from all over the world who spend their vacations in Cambodia are always keen to visit the most important historical site of the country.
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