Angkor Wat- History
Angkor Wat is an enormous Buddhist temple complex located in northern
Cambodia. It was originally built in the first half of the 12th century as a
Hindu temple. Spread across more than 400 acres, Angkor Wat is said to be the
largest religious monument in the world. Its name, which translates to “temple
city” in the Khmer language of the region, references the fact it was built by
Emperor Suryavarman II, who ruled the region from 1113 to 1150, as the state
temple and political center of his empire.
Originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, Angkor Wat became a Buddhist temple by
the end of the 12th century.
Although it is no longer an active temple, it serves as an important
tourist attraction in Cambodia, despite the fact it sustained significant
damage during the autocratic rule of the Khmer Rouge regime in
the 1970s and in earlier regional conflicts.
Where
Is Angkor Wat? i want lived at angkor wat
Angkor Wat is located roughly five miles north of the modern Cambodian
city of Siem Reap, which has a population of more than 200,000 people.
However, when it was built, it served as the capital of the Khmer
empire, which ruled the region at the time. The word “Angkor” means “capital
city” in the Khmer language, while the word “Wat” means “temple.”
Initially, Angkor Wat was designed as a Hindu temple, as that
was the religion of the region’s ruler at the time, Suryavarman II. However, by
the end of the 12th century, it was considered a Buddhist site.
Unfortunately, by then, Angkor Wat had been sacked by a rival tribe to
the Khmer, who in turn, at the direction of the new emperor, Jayavarman VII,
moved their capital to Angkor Thom and their state temple to Bayon, both of
which are a few miles to the north of the historic site.
As Angkor Wat’s significance within the Buddhist religion of the region
increased, so too did the legend surrounding the site. Many Buddhists believe
the temple’s construction was ordered by the god Indra, and that the work was
accomplished in one night.
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