Aṅkor Wat

Built for Viṣṇu · Siem Reap, Cambodia · UNESCO World Heritage

Aṅkor Wat was built in the early 12th century by the Khmer king Sūryavarman II as a temple to Viṣṇu, and is often described as the largest religious monument in the world. Its five towers represent Mount Meru, the centre of the cosmos. Over the following centuries it became a Buddhist temple, which it remains today.

Its galleries hold long bas-reliefs from Hindu stories, including a celebrated panel of the churning of the ocean of milk. Angkor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the national symbol of Cambodia. November to February is the best season; sunrise over the towers is famous.

The great churning panel shows devas and asuras pulling the serpent Vāsuki around Mount Mandara, with Viṣṇu in the centre and Viṣṇu’s turtle form, Kūrma, supporting the mountain beneath — the same story that lies behind India’s Kumbh Melā, carved in stone a world away.

Cambodia · Viṣṇu · later Buddhist · 12th century · UNESCO World Heritage

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