ANGKOR WAT

KHMER EMPIRE

KING SUYAVARMAN
II, builder of
ANGKOR WATT

ANGKOR WAT

INTRODUCTION TO ANGKOR
WAT

Angkor Wat is a temple which is located in

Siem Reap province. The Angkor Wat
temple was constructed by king
Suryavarman II, in the beginning of 12th
century in the year of 1113 AD.

The temple is at the top of the high

classical style of Khmer architecture. It has
become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing
on its national flag, and it is the country's
prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat is
a great temple in Angkor area and it is one
of the seven wonder in the world and a
temple which become the world heritage in
December 15, 1992.

ANGKOR WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE KHMER EMPIRE,

WHICH DOMINATED MAINLAND SOUTH-EAST ASIA
FOR CENTURIES.
THE CITY WAS, BY SOME DISTANCE, THE MOST
EXTENSIVE PRE-INDUSTRIAL METROPOLIS ON OUR
PLANET.
THE KINGS BUILT TEMPLES FOR THEIR GODS: SHIVA,
VISHNU OR THE BUDDHA.

ANGKOR WAT

The Angkor Wat is also considering

as one of the largest religious
Hindu temples in the world, and
considering as the most using
stone temple in the world as well.
Angkor Wat estimated to use the
sandstone and late rite
approximately 300,000 million
tones and took to build about
35years and saying that they used
4000 elephants including people
suggested one person each family
in around the kingdom, come to
carry the sandstone from a quarry
of Phnom (mountain ) Kulen which

SITE AND PLAN

Angkor Wat, located at 132445N

103520E, is a unique combination of
the temple mountain, the standard
design for the empires state temples,
the later plan of concentric galleries,
and influences from Orissa and the
Chola of Tamil Nadu, India.
The temple is a representation of
Mount Meru, the home of the gods:
the central quincunx of towers
symbolizes the five peaks of the
mountain, and the walls and moat the
surrounding mountain ranges and
ocean.
Access to the upper areas of the
temple was progressively more

The temple preserves the styles

of the Khmer period, the ogival,
in the form of towers that are
shaped like lotus buds,
cruciform terraces and axial
galleries that connect
enclosures.

SYMBOLISM

Based on
Dravidian
architecture,
designed as a
pyramid
representating
the structure of
the Universe.
The highest level
at the center of
the temple
represented

STRUCTURE

Outer Structure

The temple
complex is
enclosed within
190 m wide moat.
Entry to the
temple complex is
guarded by an
impressive tower,
which is on each
side of the outer
wall, is known as
the GOPURA.

Inner Structure

The inner
structure contains
the temple, that
stands on a raised
terrace made of

SCULPTURE, RELIEFS &

DECORATIONS
Reliefs such as these are neither
decoration, mere visualizations
of scriptural stories, nor are they
even just parts of the temples
ritual processional system.

The bas-relief of theChurning of the Sea

of Milk showsVisnu in the centre, his
turtleAvatar Kurmabelow,asuras
anddevasto left and right,
andapsarasandIndraabove.

Decoration on the corner

THE DEITY IN THE SANCTUARY