Angkor Wat, is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city.
The Magnificent Angkor Wat
Source aishifuPix
Angkor is a vernacular form of the Khmer word Nokor which is a corruption of the Sanskrit word Nagara, while wat is the Khmer word for temple. Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok, after the posthumous title of its founder,Suryavarman II.
Source cornstaruk
As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation—first Hindu, dedicated to Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. Today, the Angkor Wat is as much a symbol of Cambodia as the Taj Mahal is to India, and a major source of tourism. Infact, the Angkor Wat is on Cambodia’s national flag.
Source alex.ch
Angkor Wat is surrounded by a 200 m. wide moat, crossed by a bridge on the west. At the end of the bridge is a 200 m. long entrance structure: three central towers flanked on the north and south by a long, pillared corridors that end in entrance gateways opening flat on the ground. An enclosing wall stretches from these gateways around the temple compound.
Source electrostatico
Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within the moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next.
source dawvon
Angkor Wat is unusual among the Angkor temples in that although it was somewhat neglected after the 16th century it was never completely abandoned, its preservation being due in part to the fact that its moat also provided some protection from encroachment by the jungle.
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hi my fr?end nice website be success…thx for visiting see u soon.. http://frombaliisland.blogspot.com
What pictures Arun..great to see you posting again
hi arun,
nice post.. intresting facts.. how did you come across this bit???
Thanks Smitha. I have an interest in History, Civilizations and Archaeology. Its also a matter of pride that the Angkor Wat is rooted in the rich history and legacy of Indian rulers.
Thanks Lakshmi. Glad you liked it
EXCELLANT PHOTOGRAPHS. EXCELLENT SITE FROM ARCHAEOLOGY POINT OF VIEW AND HISTORY POINT OF VIEW. THANKS FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS ONCE AGAIN.
KAMLESH M SHAH
Thanks Kamlesh, you can look forward to more such posts.
Nice piece…short and sweet. Excellent pictures. BTW, I am a little confused. Did you visit this place or research it for writing this piece?
If the answer is the latter, then I have to say that I am very impressed. I find it hard enough to gather the time and energy to write about places I visited.
Keep them coming.
Hi Vamsee, No I haven’t been here. But I’ve read enough about it, and decided to contribute this post as a photofeature.
Wonderful pictures of a great place. I had been there Jan last year and the temples are spectacular. The Angkor Wat is the best preserved of course, but there are so any others which are equally beautiful. The people are wonderful after all that they have gone through.
Have taken a lot of pictures too.
Woww, Now this is one place i’ve been dying to visit… will do so early next yr..
Loved the pics.. esp the reflections.. mesmerising…