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Angkor Wat

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  Location: Siem Reap, Cambodia (Continent of Asia)
• Built by: Built by Khmer Emperor Suryavarman II
• How long to build: It took about 34 years to build
• Date built: During the early 1100s, it was the capital of the empire (about 920 years ago)
• Size: It spans around 400 acres (1.6 km²)
• Weight: Made with 5-10 million sandstone blocks, each weighing about 1.5 tons (1.4 metric tons)
• First built as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu (for about 100 years), it was conquered after a war and turned into a Buddhist temple.
• It is said that 300,000 laborers and 6,000 elephants helped build the complex.
• Surrounding Angkor Wat, a massive moat is 650 ft (200 m) wide and 13 ft (4 m) deep.
• The temple’s five tower peaks are supposed to represent Mount Meru, the home of the gods, in both Hindu and Buddhist faiths. The walls and moat below honor the surrounding mountain ranges and the sea.
• By the late 1400s, the population of the complex slowly declined because of war, drought, and new trading opportunities with other countries.
• There is some evidence that the original purpose was as a burial tomb for Emperor Suryavarman II because of the way the building is facing, and it is facing West. In the Hindu religion, funerary temples always face the West. All other temples face the East. But, there was no evidence of Emperor Suryavarman II in the tomb.
• Throughout the temple, there are beautiful stone carvings of 8 Hindu stories and carvings of Buddha.
• Angkor Wat is a significant symbol of Cambodia, and it is on the country’s money and flag, among countless products.