Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is the largest religious complex in the entire world.

Located within the ancient capital of Angkor, it serves as a monumental example of Khmer architecture. The name "Angkor Wat" comes from the Khmer language. It translates to "Temple City" or "City of Temples."

While many ancient sites are lost to time, Angkor Wat has remained a continuous center of worship. It is a vital national symbol for Cambodia and is featured on the Cambodian national flag.

The architectural design of the complex is highly symbolic. It combines the temple-mountain and galleried temple forms used by the Khmer people. The overall layout represents Mount Meru. This is a sacred mountain in both Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. The complex is surrounded by a broad moat and an outer wall. Inside these boundaries, three progressively elevated galleries rise toward the center. At the very heart, five towers stand in a quincunx pattern.

Unlike most other temples in the Angkor region, Angkor Wat is oriented toward the west.

Construction of the site began in 1122 CE and was completed by 1150 CE. The Khmer king Suryavarman II commissioned the project in his capital, Yaśodharapura. The temple was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Many historians believe the king intended the site to serve as his mausoleum. This would honor his memory and glory after his death. The temple was built on the suggestion of a man named Divākarapaṇḍita. While the site is massive, modern analyses suggest it housed a population of 3,000 to 4,300 residents.

The religious identity of Angkor Wat changed over several centuries. In 1177, the Chams attacked and sacked the Angkor region. Following this, the Khmer empire was restored by King Jayavarman VII. He established a new capital at Angkor Thom. During this era, the site began a gradual transformation. The king's wife, Indradevi, was a devout Mahayana Buddhist. Her influence helped lead the temple toward Buddhist worship. By the late 13th century, the complex became predominantly associated with Theravada Buddhism. Many Hindu sculptures were eventually replaced by Buddhist art.

Throughout history, many travelers have documented the site. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Chinese envoy Zhou Daguan and the traveler Zheng He visited. Zheng He studied the architecture, which later influenced the design of the Dabaoen Temple. In the 16th century, Portuguese traders and missionaries discovered the stone city hidden in the forests. One of the first recorded visitors was the Capuchin friar António da Madalena in 1586. Later, in 1860, the French explorer Henri Mouhot popularized the site in the West. His travel notes helped the world understand the grandeur of the Khmer monuments.

In the 20th century, the temple faced many challenges to its survival. Restoration efforts were interrupted by the Cambodian Civil War and the Khmer Rouge era. During the 1970s and 1980s, work was abandoned. The site suffered from plant overgrowth, fungi, and ground movements. Some structures were even used for firewood by Khmer Rouge forces. A shoot-out between Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese forces also left bullet holes in the bas-reliefs.

Additionally, art thieves caused damage by removing sculptures in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Today, international cooperation helps protect and restore the site. Angkor Wat was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor (APSARA) was established in 1995. Many countries participate in conservation, including France, Japan, India, China, Germany, the United States, South Korea, and Italy. The German Apsara Conservation Project (GACP) works to protect the devatas and bas-reliefs. These carvings are vital parts of the temple's beauty.

Currently, the site is a major global destination, attracting more than 2.5 million visitors every year.