Why Was Angkor Wat Built?

Angkor Wat was built by one of the greatest emperors of the Khmer Empire, whose name was King Suryavarman II. This mesmerizing temple is located in Cambodia with numerous captivating designs and details. Hundreds of canals sourced as the medium of transportation for the massive sandstone bricks which were used to build this temple.

The temple is made on more than 500-acres of land in Angkor to honour the Hindu God Vishnu. However, it got converted into a Buddhist temple in the 14th century.

The unique temple consists of remarkable decorations, including garlands, devatas, and bas-reliefs. Other exquisite details of this architectural site also include axial galleries and cruciform terraces.

The astounding Hindu temple built by King Suryavarman depicts his devotion to the Hindu Lord Vishnu. As deity Vishnu is associated with the west, this may construe the west-facing orientation of this heritage site.

The foremost reason to build this extraordinary temple was to make it a state temple for King Suryavarman II. Its construction helped the government of the 12th century establish this place as its centre for functioning.

• The literal meaning of Angkor Wat is the ‘City Temple.’
• It is a microcosm of the Hindu universe with immense narrative bas-relief
• The temple can be visited between 5 am to 6 pm
• You need to step some steep steps to climb if you want to see the central shine.
• There is no dress requirement

This temple was established as a World Heritage Site. To maintain and conserve this beautiful architectural site, the Cambodian government was provided with regular funds to do it very well. Also, the German Apsara Conservation Project was launched to repair damages to bas-reliefs and the devatas.

Angkor Wat is one of the most prominent and recognized tourist destinations in the world today. If we talk about Cambodia, more than 90% of the tourists visit this country because of this unique architectural site contributing significantly to the Cambodian tourism industry.