ANGKOR WAT TEMPLE

CAMBODIA

ANGKOR WAT

Angkor Wat is a temple complex in the province of Siem Reap, Cambodia originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu in the 12th century CE. It is among the largest religious buildings ever created, second only to the Temple of Karnak at Thebes, Egypt and, some claim, even larger.

Its name means "City of the Temple", and it was created as a physical manifestation of human interaction with the realm of the gods. The spires represent the mountains of eternity and the moat the eternal waters. It was built using 1.5 million cubic meters of sand and silt in the 12th century CE under the reign of the Khmer emperor Suryavarman II (r. 1113-1150 CE) as a grand Hindu temple expressing the monarch's dedication to Vishnu.

The temple covers 420 acres (162.6 hectares) with a central tower 213 feet (65 m) high. The surrounding moat is 650 feet (200 m) wide running a perimeter of over three miles (5 km) with a depth of 13 feet (4 m). Its function as a Hindu temple fell out of use in the late 13th century CE, and it was taken over by Buddhist monks.

In its time, it was the grandest complex in the region, the center of the Khmer Empire, but had been largely abandoned by the 16th century CE and was taken by the surrounding jungle. Western explorers discovered the site in the 19th century CE, cleared the overgrowth, and began restoration efforts. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

Suryavarman II & Construction

Suryavarman II is considered one of the greatest monarchs of the Khmer Empire (802-1431 CE) for his creation of a strong central government that united the land. Suryavarman II also sent numerous military expeditions against the kingdom of Dai Viet in modern-day Vietnam and the neighboring Champa kingdoms, but these were largely unsuccessful. His greatest successes were in diplomacy, not war, as he successfully opened relations with China which increased trade and stimulated the economy.

Although he is remembered as a great ruler, Suryavarman II was a usurper, who assassinated his great uncle Dharanindravarman I (r. 1107-1113 CE) to take the throne. He is said to have compared the coup to destroying a serpent but what this alludes to, or what his motivation was, is unclear. He then legitimized his rule through personal accomplishments and immortalized it through the construction of the grand complex of Angkor Wat, dedicated to his personal protector-god Vishnu, most likely in gratitude for his victory. He had amassed considerable wealth through trade and taxes and spared no expense in the creation of his temple. Scholar Christopher Scarre notes:

The Khmer's unique form of kingship produced, instead of an austere civilization like that of the Indus, a society that carried the cult of wealth, luxury, and divine monarchy to amazing lengths. This cult reached it apogee in the reign of Suryavarman II who built the temple of Angkor Wat. (366)

 

Angkor Wat, near Siem Reap, CambodiaView of Angkor Wat, Cambodia's most famous temple and a UNESCO World Heritage site

 ក្រុងសៀមរាប, កម្ពុជា

BY: RON VAN CHHAI