It’s a Hindu temple which is largest in Cambodia and the world.

Name: Angkor Wat, Prasat Angkor Wat

Date: First half of the 12th century King Suryavarman II

 Location: Just South of Angkor Thom

Nearby: Phnom Bakheng

Angkor Wat is best preserved of all the Angkor monuments and is the most impressive and best known temple. The temple is an object of pride for Cambodia, and its depiction also appears on the Indian national flag.

Angkor Wat, is also known as temple city. It is located to the South of the Khmer capital Angkor Thom.

It is a very large temple and is richly decorated; the temple area in total includes the moat which measures 1.5 kilometers long and 1.3 kilometers wide, or we can say a total of about 2 square kilometers.

The temple represents the height of architectural skills of the Khmer builders. It’s very detailed carved bas reliefs shows impressive craftsmanship that cover much part of the temple. Angkor Wat is oriented towards the West and dedicated to Vishnu, unlike other Angkor temples that face east and are dedicated to Shiva.

Angkor Wat was built by the King Suryavarman II, during the first half of the 12th century. He ruled for almost 40 years and was one of Angkor’s greatest Kings. He further expanded the Khmer empire. Some historians believe that the temple also served as a funerary temple for the King. This fact explain its orientation to the West; i.e. the setting sun in the West that implies the end of the life cycle.