Angkor Wat

A huge stone stepped pyramid, the best-known monument of Angkor (Cambodia), the largest religious structure in the world. The three-storied construction is surrounded by a moat and surmounted by five vast towers which symbolized the five peaks of Mount Meru. It was built by Suryavarman II (1113-1150 AD) over a 25-year period as his own mausoleum (temple-mountain). The name in Khmer means "the capital (which has become a Buddhist) monastery". Angkor Wat is considered to be the highest expression of Khmer classic architecture and sculpture-relief.

[Khmer: ‘the capital (which has become a Buddhist) monastery’]. The best-known monument of Angkor, supposed to be the largest religious structure in the world. Built under king Suryavarman II (1113-1150) as his temple-mountain, it was completed in about 25 years. Situated in an enclosure of 1.5 by 1.3 km, it consists of a three-storeyed pyramid, topped by five towers (symbolizing the five peaks of Mount Meru, the abode of the gods in Hindu cosmology), the central one being 65 metres high. The first storey is devoted to reliefs, of which there are two square kilometres. Angkor Wat is considered to be the highest expression of Khmer classicism, both in architecture and in sculpturerelief.