Description of the attraction
Angkor Wat is the largest religious building in the world, created in the 12th century as a temple complex dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Occupying an area 5, 5 kilometers north of Siem Reap, which later became Buddhist, the Angkor Wat complex was located next to the Khmer capital of Angkor. It is estimated that it covered an area of about 3000 square meters. km, and the number of inhabitants, according to some scientists, reached 500 thousand people, which made the city the largest settlement of people of that era. The residence of the Khmer king Suryavarman II in Angkor after the death of the monarch became his mausoleum.
The Angkor Wat complex has been perfectly preserved and from the moment of its foundation to this day remains a significant religious center. The temple is the pinnacle of traditional Khmer architecture, a symbol of Cambodia, the image of the complex has been present on the country's flag since the 19th century.
Angkor Wat combines two main techniques of Khmer temple architecture: a mountain temple and multi-tiered buildings around. The key structure is intended to represent the abode of the gods - the fantastic Mount Meru, and a number of galleries - the world of mortals. The height of the three rectangular buildings increases as you approach the center. The entire ensemble is surrounded by a moat with water, its width is 190 meters, and the length is 3.6 kilometers. The buildings inside look like five towers in the form of a lotus flower, decorated with sculptures, bas-reliefs and ornaments; the main one rises above the rest of the buildings by 42 m, the total height of the structure is 65 m. In the 15th century, the Angkor Wat complex fell into disrepair due to the fact that it was no longer used.
The Angkor Wat temple was discovered for the Western world in 1861 by the Frenchman Henri Muo, who traveled and explored Cambodia. During the war in the country in 1970, individual buildings of the complex were destroyed. Starting from 1986 to 1992, large-scale restoration work was carried out in compliance with ancient construction technologies and the use of appropriate materials. Since 1992, Angkor Wat has been under the auspices of UNESCO and is the main attraction of the country.
