How Has Angkor Wat Been Used?

Angkor Wat is a temple in Angkor, Cambodia that has been used for worship, religious rites, and to help people worship. It was also used as a representation of the heavens and mystical beliefs of the Hindi. Let’s explore this architectural wonder and learn more about how Angkor Wat has been used.  

Angkor Wat has been in use for a very long time, and the use has changed throughout that period of time. It has been used as:

• A temple
• A symbol of Hindu beliefs
• To symbolize Mt. Meru
• A city administration office complex

To understand more about Angkor Wat, lets go back to the beginning and its first uses:

• Angkor Wat was built during the first part of the 1100s by Suryavaram II. 
• It was built to honor the Hindu god Vishnu and was built to represent Hindu beliefs in the cosmos and the connection between earth and heaven. 
• The layout of the complex is a representation of the constellation Draco at the spring equinox in 10,500 BC, so it serves to show a relationship between us and the stars. 
• Its first use was as a temple to Vishnu.

Angkor Wat as a Representation of Beliefs

Angkor Wat was used as an indicator of some of the beliefs of the Hindu people:

• Since 108 is a sacred number, both to Hindi and Buddhists, there are 108 towers. 
• The number 108 is made from the sum of 72 and one half of that number which is 36. 
• The number 72 has a correlation to the shift in the earth’s axis of rotation. 
• The earth, in relation to the constellations, was believed to move one degree every 72 years. 
• Another interesting thing about the number 72 is that Angkor Wat is located at 72 degrees longitude east of the pyramids at Giza. 

Angkor War and Deities

Angkor Wat has been used to symbolize Mt. Meru, home to the Hindu deities.  Its shape represents the mountain chain and the moat represents the ocean.  The east-west axis of the temple is off 0.75 degrees to give visitors three days to anticipate the spring equinox.   

History of Angkor Wat

To understand how Angkor Wat was used, you also need to understand the different stages through which it has gone:

• Angkor Wat was built not only as a temple but as a whole complex.  Its name means “City Temple.”  It was built by the Khmer people between 802 and 1220 AD.  Their lands reached all the way from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal.  At one time there were palaces, public buildings, administrative offices, and houses but they are gone now.

• Angkor was forgotten after it was abandoned in 1432.  Legends sprang up about what it was and who built it, with some saying it was built by ancient gods.  Of course, legends make many people curious, and some people would travel to see the strange city lost in the jungle.
• Henri Mouhot, an explorer from France, told the world about the city and the French became fascinated with it.  Restoration began in 1908 and still continues today.

• Some archeologists say that the temple was built by kings so people could worship them. That is not the case with Angkor Wat, as it was used to worship Vishnu and help people know that the gods are real and to feel a connection with them.

• The temple is a symbol of Cambodia and is part of the Cambodian National Flags since 1863. France adopted Cambodia as a protectorate on August 11, 1863 because of the Khmer monuments. Cambodia became independent of France on November 9, 1953 and has had full control of Angkor Wat since that time. 

Architecture of Angkor Wat

Finally, Angkor Wat is also used as an example of architectural beauty:

• One of the most interesting and beautiful elements of the architecture of Angkor Wat are the towers which are shaped like lotus buds. 
• Asparas, or divine nymphs, decorate the wall and towers as do bas-reliefs. 
• There are scenes on pediments which tell stories and extensive garlands.  
• The bas-relief friezes show epic Hindu battles and the 32 hells and 37 heavens of Hindu mythology.
• There are sculptures of the asuras, which are demons, and devas, which are deities.

Some say Angkor Wat is grander than anything left by the Greeks or Romans.  It is so magnificent, that some say it is just indescribable.