Description
Angkor-Angkor Wat; 28 minutes; © 2020; In the Cambodian jungle laid hidden for centuries the remarkable temple of Angkor Wat. A spectacular architectural jewel of magnificent proportions where symmetry was embedded in stone. The temple represents a symbol of a powerful empire that ruled for 8 centuries in South East Asia.
Angkor Wat was built in the first half of the 12th century on an area of about 500 acres as one of the largest religious monuments ever constructed.
Its dimensions are shocking. The temple complex is surrounded by a 190 meters wide moat that spans a perimeter of more than 5.5 km.
Besides its role in defense and as a source of water, the more than 4 meters deep moat was built to stabilize the temple’s foundation, preserving a constant level of groundwater.
If you compare this moat to any moat surrounding the European castles, those would look like a kids’ play in comparison.
Imagine just the amount of work and people required to remove the dirt in order to be able to build this moat. The temple was surrounded also by a protecting wall whose perimeter measures more than 3.6 km.
The temple was built under the rule of King Suryavarman II, not such a savory character, who decided to usurp the throne while being a teenager by killing his great uncle, Dharanindravarman I, while he was riding an elephant.
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