How Big Is Angkor Wat?
Angkor Wat is an amazing complex of religious temples that have become the symbol of Cambodia, as well as the country’s main tourist attraction. More than 100 temples anchor Angkor Archaeological Park, an area that covers over 400 km2 (square kilometers), roughly equivalent to the geographical land mass of Paris (France).
The actual Angkor Wat temple is about one square kilometer in size, when excluding the 190 meter-wide square river canal that envelopes its four sides. Located 5 ½ miles north of the modern city of Siem Reap, Anhkor Wat is considered the biggest of the Asian temples within the complex. It is surrounded by a 4 ½ meter tall outer wall, and it is within these walls of Angkor Wat that tourists become mesmerized by the magical displays of Hindu sculptures and bas-reliefs.
Stepping just inside the walls of the ancient complex, visitors are greeted by intricate bas-relief friezes which embellish the inside of the gallery’s outer walls and depict scenes from ancient Hindu literature (the Mahabharata and the Ramayana). Portrayals of 37 levels of heaven and 32 planes of hell in the Hindu religion can be seen in the southern gallery, and in the eastern gallery, the famous milk-churning scene where gods and demons turn the cosmic sea of milk as directed by Vishnu (one of the three gods of Hindu mythology), is featured.
Visiting Angkor Wat
Just “how big is Angkor Wat?” When viewing from a distance, its panorama may appear larger than actual size, as the entire Angkor Wat complex stands on a raised field, high above the rest of the city. Its temples are highly symbolic, with the foremost Hindu concept – the temple-mountain, towering above the lower-lying sandstone structures, at heights of 65 meters and above. As the temples are built as a representation of the mythical Mount Meru, most temples (including Angkor Wat) are surrounded by moats and built in a mountain-like pyramid shape and topped by exactly five towers – representative of the five peaks of Mount Meru.
Angkor Wat’s mystique and charm are heightened by the fact that it is divided into several layers, each layer an architectural gem of (three) rectangular galleries rising to a central tower. Each level is higher than the last. The central tower features standing Buddhas, which replaced an original statue of Vishnu (a Hindu god); this change occurring after the conversion of the temple from Hinduism to Theravada Buddhism.
The Temples of Angkor Wat
The temples of Angkor Wat, as well as other subcomplexes in the Angkor Archaeological Park (such as The Bayon, Ta Prohm, Elephant Terrace and Banteay Srei), are the embodiment of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. However, unlike most Khmer temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west rather than the east. While scholars are divided as to the significance of this western variation that is atypical of temples, speculation has it that the Angkor Wat temple, in addition to being a place of worship, was built as a mausoleum for Lord Vishnu after his death.
Construction of Angkor Wat
The question “how big is Angkor Wat?” compels one to marvel about its construction during a time in the 12th century when engineering technology and expertise were far less developed. Yet, the monument was made out of enormous amounts of sandstone (over 5 million tons) that would have been transported from a quarry approximately 25 miles to the northeast. By modern engineering assessments, it is estimated that a structure with the vastness and intricacy of Angkor Wat would take maybe two centuries to complete. Amazingly, though, the grand temples of Angkor Wat were completed in a mere 40 years.
Angkor Wat Today
It’s no small wonder that today, Angkor Wat and the surrounding subcomplexes, have become a major Cambodian tourist destination, and designated as one of the seven wonders of the world. Over 600,000 tourists annually visit this splendid artistic legacy, a powerful symbol of Cambodia and a source of great national pride.