Former capital of the Khmer Empire and the largest religious monument in the world, Angkor Wat is a massive temple complex located in what is now Cambodia.
Construction was started in the 12th century A.D. during the Khmer Empire under King Suryavarman II. The name "Angkor Wat" can be literally translated to "Temple City" or "City of Temples". Its architecture is known as Khmer, a type of architecture that started to become more complex in the 12th century. Most of the visible structure is made out of sandstone, a material that the Khmer architects started to use more often in their buildings as they became more skilled. Although, the material used to bind the sandstone blocks together has yet to be discovered!
Animals such as elephants were used to hoist blocks into place. Pulleys and bamboo scaffolding were also used during construction. The structure itself took more sandstone to complete than the Great Pyramid of Giza, and almost every surface, from roofs and ceilings to columns and lintels, are hand carved.
The five spires symbolize the five peaks of Mount Meru, which is considered a home of the gods in Hinduism and Buddhism. The whole complex itself is meticulously designed to reflect the religion of the time.
>> Read more about Angkor Wat on Wikipedia.
