Angkor Wat or the pearl of Cambodia is the largest temple in the world. There are places in the world who leave a lasting impression on people, a storm of fascination in the midst of an indescribable beauty. Angkor Wat has a rightful place in a row of wonders of the world like the pyramid of Cheops, the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu or even Versailles and the snow on the Kilimanjaro. Angkor Wat does something to people. It is also the biggest archeological treasure in Asia.
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## History
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The history of this place expands from the eight to the fifteenth century. Angkor Wat is the absolute symbol of the Khmer Empire, a state with distinctive art forms, architecture and a way of life. In the beginning of the ninth century two vast territories that now for the kingdom of Cambodia was under the rule of King Jayavarman II, he would establish an empire that was dominant for five centuries on the Asian continent.
Khmer cities consist of a central temple in stone or even wood, the temple itself is a complex of different buildings with various functions. Every temple had an ingenious irrigation system with gigantic water reservoirs who were the cornerstone of agricultural development.
Just like in pharaonic Egypt every King built temples and cultivated a personal cult, every new king tried to beat the previous one, so the buildings just got bigger and more impressive. Angkor Wat is the result of a five-century building frenzy and is most likely one of the unique buildings in the world.
The most beautiful buildings appeared in the twelfth century. Special is that it was intended to be a Hindu temple but ended up as a shrine to the God Vishnu and became later the absolute gem of the Buddhist religion. It is there for the biggest religious building in the world. Angkor Wat is wat the Eiffel Tower is to France, in a matter that it is even part today of the Cambodian flag. After the sixteenth century, the temple was in a state of decay and had to fight against the advancing jungle plants.
The Rediscovery
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One of the first westerner to admire Angkor Wat was the Portuguese monk Antonio da Magdalena in 1586. He claimed to be unable to describe it with ink and paper because of the extreme beauty and the fact that it was incomparable to anything else in the world.
It took well into the nineteenth century before the west was aware of the wonder of the temple after the publication of the travels of Henri Mouhot, a French explorer. He described the architecture as legendary as the buildings of King Salomon, built by an Asian Michelangelo.
The Temple in Modern Times
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In the twentieth century, it was necessary to restore the temple, 60% of the complex as damaged in one way or another. The marks of the jungle like sand and wild vegetation invaded the holy place. Under the tyranny of the Red Khmer, the restoration halted again. Luckily, the temple escaped from worse.
The Political Significance
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It was and is the most recognizable symbol of Cambodia and it is a source of national pride. On the diplomatic field, the temple had almost a mythical importance. Because of the extreme beauty of Angkor Wat, many countries have protected Cambodia. The new state of Cambodia swiftly received recognition by the powerful neighbor Thailand and by the United States and France. The architectural treasures of Cambodia were the main reason why Cambodia became a protectorate from France. In 1953, Cambodia was truly independent.
Since then hundred thousands of people admired the beauty of Angkor Wat. It is a place where stories from the past whisper to the visitors, the impression that last is a spiritual one and an overwhelming respect for the ancestors who built this place. Where else can you see hundreds of buildings, monuments, statues and artifacts on a piece of land of 400 km2? One Thousand two hundred inscriptions tell the stories of this magical place, tales of kings, battlefields, and artists.
It is a place to visit without stress and you do need to take your time. It takes more than a week to discover all. In total, you can walk around for more than 100km/62 mi. Angkor Wat is breathtaking with the massive three-part pyramid crowned with five lotus towers each 65m/71yd high. The temple fence is 1300m/1421yd on 1500m/1640yd. Every stone decorated with carved figures in total more than 2000 different motives. There are countless fountains and terraces. An absolute must is seeing a sunrise at Angkor Wat, the shadows of the holy towers on the water will stay in your memory forever.
Trivia
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. Angkor Wat has the shape of the mountain Meru, the house of the Devas in Hindu mythology.
. Angkor Wat is orientated to the west, which is exceptional.
. The name means in Sanskrit “Holy City”.
. The first name was Angkor and the place oldest name is Pisnulok.
. In 1992, it received the title of World Heritage from the UNESCO.
. Angkor Wat is the highest pyramid in Asia.
Angkor Wat is a typical relic of past glory. On the century-old stairs, you can feel the history coming to you. It is buildings like these that a proof of the ingenuity of the human race. It is an accomplishment of everlasting force and the desire for perfection, beauty, and harmony.
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