Interesting Facts About the World's Largest Religious Building - the Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is one of the most impressive buildings in the world. It is the iconic symbol of Cambodia and its most popular tourist attraction.

Here are some notable facts about the Angkor Wat.

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1.) Angkor Wat, which is located in Angkor, Cambodia, was built in the 12th century for King Suryavarman II as his state temple and capital city.

2.) Angkor Wat is the best-preserved temple at the site and the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation.

3.) This iconic symbol, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, is embedded on Cambodia’s national flag.

4.) Most Angkorian temples are oriented to the east but the Angkor Wat is oriented to the west. It is believed that Suryavarman intended it to serve as his funerary temple.

5.) This astounding temple is admired for the harmony and grandeur of the architecture, for the numerous guardian spirits or devatas adorning its walls and its extensive bas-reliefs.

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6.) Angkor Wat’s original name is unknown but it may have been known as Vrah Vishnulok. Prior to this time, it is known as Preah Pisnulok. Its present name means “City Temple”.

7.) Angkor Wat, which is originally built as a Hindu temple, was converted to Theravada Buddhist use in the 13th century and continues to the present day.

8.) Angkor Wat was first seen by a Westerner, a Portuguese monk, in 1586 and described it an extraordinary construction that can’t be described with a pen.

9.) Angkor Wat became popular in the West only in the mid-19th century through publication by a French explorer named Henri Mouhot.

10.) Jacqueline Kennedy visited Angkor Wat during the midst of the Vietnam War fulfilling her lifelong dream of seeing this grandiose site.

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11.) The outer wall of Angkor Wat measures 1024 by 802 m and 4.5 m high. It is surrounded by a 30 m apron of open ground and a moat 190 m wide.

12.) The stones used in the construction of Angkor Wat are as smooth as polished marble and were laid without mortar with very tight joints.

13.) This monumental structure was made of sandstone amounting to more than 5 million tons.

14.) Construction of the Angkor Wat took 40 years to complete but one modern engineer estimated it would take 300 years to complete Angkor Wat today.

15.) There are miles of bas-reliefs and the gallery wall alone is decorated with almost 1,000 square meters of bas-reliefs.

See also

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