Cambodia, Angkor Wat. Two orange robed monks walking in the Gallery of the Bas-Reliefs around the central temple
Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. The largest and best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre—first Hindu, then Buddhist—since its foundation. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temples. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the gods in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall km ( miles) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is orientated to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. As well as for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, the temple is admired for its extensive bas-reliefs and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls. (Source: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia)
Size: 5380px × 3444px
Location: Kingdom of Cambodia, Southeast Asia, Asian, Indochina Siem Reap Angkor Wat
Photo credit: © Bert de Ruiter / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ancient, angkor, archeology, bas-reliefs, bert, carving, de, gallery, historical, history, khmer, monk, religious, ruiter, spires, temple, towers, travel, tropic, tropical, wat
