Knowra Angkor Wat Angkor Wat Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia built in the 12th century by the Khmer Empire. Dedicated initially to Vishnu, it later became a Buddhist site.
Khmer architecture : An architectural tradition developed by the Khmer Empire, known for monumental temples, carved stone, and distinctive towers. Angkor Wat is among the tradition’s largest and most influential works.
Khmer Empire : A powerful Southeast Asian state that flourished from the ninth to fifteenth centuries, centered in present-day Cambodia. The empire commissioned Angkor Wat at the height of its power.
Angkor Wat bas-reliefs : Carved narrative panels along Angkor Wat’s galleries, depicting Hindu epics, cosmology, and Khmer royal history. Their scenes make the temple’s walls a continuous visual program.
Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia : The dominant Buddhist tradition in Cambodia, centered on the Theravada school. Buddhist worship became established at Angkor Wat after its Hindu foundation.
Angkor Wat central sanctuary : The elevated innermost sanctuary of Angkor Wat, crowned by its tallest tower. It forms the temple’s symbolic and architectural center.
Mount Meru : A sacred mountain at the center of the cosmos in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions. The temple’s central towers evoke the cosmic mountain.
Suryavarman II : A Khmer king who ruled in the first half of the 12th century. He sponsored Angkor Wat and was closely associated with its dedication to Vishnu.
Churning of the Ocean of Milk : A Hindu creation myth in which gods and demons churn a cosmic ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality. A monumental relief presents this myth on Angkor Wat’s eastern gallery.
French Indochina : The French colonial federation in Southeast Asia that included Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Colonial-era scholarship and conservation brought Angkor Wat to wider international attention.
Angkor Wat gallery of a thousand Buddhas : A gallery at Angkor Wat historically associated with numerous Buddha images and offerings. It documents the temple’s Buddhist devotional life.
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