LARGEST RELIGIOUS MONUMENT

 

ANGKOR WAT  (CAMBODIA) 

The largest religious structure ever built is Angkor Wat (City Temple), enclosing 162.6 ha (401 acres) in Cambodia. It was built to the Hindu god Vishnu by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the period 1113–50. Its curtain wall measures 1,280 m (4,200 ft), and its population, before it was abandoned in 1432, was 80,000. The temple forms part of a complex of 72 major monuments, begun c. AD900, that extends over 24.8 km (15.4 miles). Area in m²/ft² is 1,626,000 m² (17,502,118.31 ft²).

Why is Angkor Wat significant?

This incredibly beautiful piece of art represents the cultural legacy of the country and features in the national flag of Cambodia. This monument is a symbol of the nation and one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

What does Angkor Wat mean?

The work Angkor consists of the Sanskrit word Nagara (meaning city) and Wat meaning area. So the name roughly translates to City of Temples.

What makes it a unique structure?

The structure of Angkor Wat not only includes the temple but moats, galleries, temples and several other sub-edifices. The central temple pinnacle is the tallest, and it represents Mount Meru, which was used as a churning rod while extracting the elixir (Amrit) during the Samudra Manthan of the Kshirasagara between the Devas and the Asuras. The exterior and the interior walls of the temple have intricate carvings on stone. These depict episodes from the ancient Hindu texts. Several other structures exist within the complex like the seven-headed hood of a snake, a giant figure of a lion, which is now headless.

The exquisite detailing and the architectural beauty of this temple will leave you enchanted for sure. In a nutshell, Angkor Wat is a must-visit destination.