Angkor Wat by WvH

Angkor Wat (?????????, 'Main Temple') is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world, covering an area of 126.6 hectares (1,626,000 m2).[1] It was originally built as a Hindu temple for the Khmer Empire and gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple by the end of the twelfth century.[2] It was built by the Khmer king Suryavarman II[3] in the early twelfth century in Ya?odharapura (????????? today Angkor), the capital of the Khmer empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Unlike the Shaivist tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was dedicated to Vishnoe. As the best-preserved temple in the area, it is the only one that remained an important religious centre since its construction. The temple stands at the pinnacle of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia and appears on the national flag. The country's biggest tourist attraction, Angkor Wat combines two basic concepts of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later temple gallery. It was designed to represent Mount Meroe, home of the Devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and a 3.6-kilometre-long outer wall are three square galleries, all higher than the previous one. At the centre of the temple is a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat faces west; aca