Episode 1475
Angkor Wat
Wed, 2021-May-19 00:01 UTC
Length - 2:40
Direct Link
Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day where we read the summary of the featured Wikipedia article every day.
The featured article for Wednesday, 19 May 2021 is Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat (; Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត, lit. 'temple city / city of temples') is the largest religious structure (temple complex) in the world by land area, measuring 162.6 hectares (1.626 km2; 402 acres), located in Cambodia. The temple was built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura (យសោធរបុរៈ, present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as the state temple for the empire. Originally constructed as a personal mausoleum for Suryaman, dedicated to Hindu God Vishnu in the early 12th century, it was converted to a Buddhist temple towards the end of 12th century. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists in Cambodia and around the world. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's main tourist attraction. Angkor Wat played a major role in converting Cambodia into a Buddhist Nation. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. It lies within a moat more than 5 kilometres (3 mi) long and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long. The temple has three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west. Scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of its architecture, extensive bas-reliefs, and statues of Buddhas and Devas that adorn its walls.
This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:01 UTC on Wednesday, 19 May 2021.
For the full current version of the article, see Angkor Wat on Wikipedia.
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This has been Russell Standard. Thank you for listening to featured Wiki of the Day.
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