Angkor Wat means City Temple. Angkor Wat has become the most recognizable symbol of Cambodia and even appearing on its national flag. Today, Angkor Wat is the country’s most visited place. Angkor Wat is located approximately 5.5 kilometers north of Siam Riep.

Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century by King Suryavarman II of Khmer Empire. King Suryavarman II is regarded as one of the Khmer Empire’s greatest kings and he built Angkor Wat to serve as his personal mausoleum and also as a temple to the Hindu god of Vishnu. Angkor Wat combines 2 basic plans of Khmer temple architecture, i.e. the temple mountain and the galleried temple. The temple mountain was designed to represent the Mount Meru, the home of the gods in Hindu mythology. The highest level at the center of the temple represents Mount Meru with the other 5 towers representing the 5 peaks of the mountain. The galleried temple meanwhile, is a passageway running along the outer wall that encloses the temple. Angkor Wat is surrounded by a broad moat, representing the oceans that surround the world.

Angkor Wat is said to be the world’s largest temple complex. It has been used as a religious center for both Hinduism and Buddhism. Angkor Wat, together with other ruins within the Angkor region of Cambodia had been included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. Angkor Wat is also one of the 21 finalists of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Angkor Wat, Campodia