41. Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is located about 7 kilometers north of the Siem Reap Provinceial town along Komai or Chrles De Gaul Road. The temple was built in the early 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II (AD 1113-1150) and is unrivaled in its beauty and state of preservation. It is an expression of Khmer art at its apex. Some believed Angkor Wat was designed by Divakarapandita, the chief adviser and minister of the king, dedicating it to Vishnu Brahmanism.

The Khmer attribute the building of Angkor Wat to the divine architect Visvakarman. There has been considerable debate amongst scholars as to whether Angkor Wat was built as a temple or a tomb. Angkor Wat, according to Coedès, is a replica of the universe in stone and represents in an earthly model of the cosmic world. The central tower rises from the center of the monument symbolizing the mythical Mount Meru, situated at the center of the universe. Its five towers correspond to the peaks of Meru; the outer wall to the mountains at the edge of the world ; and the surrounding moat; the ocean beyond.