Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Temple complex in Angkor (now in northwestern Cambodia), the crowning work of Khmer architecture. About 1,700 yards (1,550 m) long by 1,500 yards (1,400 m) wide, it is the world's largest religious structure. Dedicated to Vishnu, it was built in the 12th century by Suryavarman II. The Wat, an artificial mountain originally surrounded by a vast external wall and moat, rises in three enclosures toward a flat summit. The five remaining towers (shrines) at the summit are composed of the repetitive diminishing tiers typical of Asian architecture.

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Angkor Wat 

a medieval Hindu temple in Cambodia near Angkor Thom. One of the largest religious buildings in the world. Constructed in the 12th century during the reign of Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat was dedicated to the god Vishnu and was later used by the Buddhists. A silhouette of the towers of Angkor Wat is depicted on the national emblem of Cambodia. The temple may have been the tomb of Suryavarman II; it ceased functioning in the 15th century. It is part of the architectural complex of Angkor.