Angkor Wat, built by the Khmer King Survavarman II in the early 12th century, is the largest religious monument in the world, and definitely one of the most stunning.
So why is Angkor Wat so much more famous than all the other splendid temples all around it? The main reason is that it was never abandoned, like all the other sites, when the capital of nearby Angkor Thom was moved to Phnom Penh in the 16th Century. Until 1941 monks lived here and most important, took care of it. On top of that, it is an architectural masterpiece of fine proportions and rich in details.
Angkor Wat is most impressive when looked at from across the wide moat that surrounds it. From there its five towers stand out as the most prominent feature representing the five peaks of Mount Meru, the home of Vishnu.
