Angkor Wat Map

Description: This map shows trails, roads, beaches, lakes, rivers, buildings, temples, restrooms, and viewpoints in Angkor Wat.

Description: This map shows roads, trails, lakes, temples, monuments, parking lots, shops, churches, points of interest, tourist attractions, and sightseeings in Angkor Area.

Description: This map shows trails, temples, restrooms, buildings, monuments, tourist information centers, points of interest, and attractions in Angkor Wat Area.

Description: This map shows streets, trails, temples, buildings, and points of interest in Angkor Wat Area.

Description: This map shows roads, temples, restrooms, buildings, and sightseeings in Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom.

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu during the Khmer Empire, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple by the end of the 12th century. The temple complex spans approximately 402 acres (162.6 hectares) and represents the architectural pinnacle of the high classical style of Khmer architecture.

Built between 1113 and 1150 AD under the reign of King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat stands as the best-preserved temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park. The temple's distinctive five towers are designed to represent Mount Meru, the mythical home of Hindu deities. The temple's outer walls stretch for 2.2 miles (3.6 kilometers), surrounded by a vast moat that measures 650 feet (198 meters) wide. This moat not only served defensive purposes but also helped stabilize the temple's foundation and provided water management for the complex.

The temple complex features remarkable architectural elements, including the famous galleries with bas-reliefs extending over 1,960 feet (600 meters). These intricate carvings depict historical events, mythological stories, and scenes from both Hindu epics - the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Terrace of Honor, the Libraries, and the Central Sanctuary showcase the sophisticated engineering and artistic achievements of the Khmer civilization. The temple's perfect symmetry, coupled with its size and complexity, demonstrates the remarkable technological capabilities of its builders.

Angkor Wat's significance extends beyond its religious and architectural importance. The temple appears on Cambodia's national flag, making it the only national flag in the world to feature a building. The site attracts over two million visitors annually, serving as Cambodia's primary tourist destination and a crucial source of economic revenue. UNESCO designated Angkor Wat as a World Heritage site in 1992, which helped protect the complex during periods of political unrest and facilitated international conservation efforts.

Modern scientific studies have revealed that the Angkor complex was the center of a sophisticated urban planning system. Using laser scanning technology (LiDAR), researchers discovered that Angkor was the largest pre-industrial city in the world, with an elaborate infrastructure of canals, highways, and low-density neighborhoods spreading across approximately 390 square miles (1,000 square kilometers). The temple's construction required approximately 5 million tons of sandstone blocks, with some blocks weighing up to 1.5 tons. These materials were transported from quarries more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, likely using a combination of water transport and overland routes.