One of the largest religious monuments in the world is the Angkor Way in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The Khmer translation of Angkor Was means “Temple of the City”. This was not the original name given to the temple, there is no text or inscription on the name used to refer to the temple. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay This temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, who was one of the three main gods in the Hindu pantheon. Vishnu is known as the “Protector”. King Suryavarman II is the main patron of Angkor Was, his name translates as “protector of the sun”. In addition to being dedicated to Vishnu, the temple was built to also serve as the king's mausoleum upon his death. In 1116 CE, construction of the temple began and was completed in 1150. By having the temples built by the Khmer kings, it ensured that the Khmer kings were at the head of polity and claimed the protection and powers of the gods. Hindu temples were not considered a place of religious congregation, but as an abode for the gods. Kings had to provide proof that the gods did not support their predecessors or enemies in order to claim political office. There were a total of 300,000 workers to build the temple. It took 30 years to complete the construction of the temple. There are 8 different Hindu stories engraved on a 12,000 square meter relief in the Angkor desert. One of the most important stories is the churning of the ocean of milk. It tells the story of the beginning of time and the creation of the universe, as well as the victory of good and evil. In the story, gods fight demons in order to reclaim order and power for the gods who have lost it. The elixir of life must be released from the earth so that peace and order can be restored. But to do this, gods and demons must work together. In an aerial view, you can see that the Was of Angkor shows that the temple is made up of a surrounding wall, which separates the temple grounds from the protective moat that surrounds it. The proper is composed of three galleries with a central sanctuary and has five stone towers. The stone towers are believed to represent the five mountain ranges of Mount Meru, which is the mythical abode of the gods for Hindus and Buddhists. Southeast Asian architects imagined that temples were dedicated to Hindu gods in representation of Mount Meru. The spaces and galleries created between them and the moat are meant to represent the mountain ranges and oceans that surround it. Apart from being the abode of the gods, it is also considered the Axis-Mundi. Which means that it is an axis that connects the earth and the sky. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay In some Sanskrit and Khmer texts, religious monuments and temples are particularly required to be arranged to be in harmony with the universe, meaning the temple should be planned according to the rising sun and moon . As well as symbolizing the recurring temporal sequence of days, months and years. The central axis inside the temples should also be aligned with the planet. The Angkor Was temple continues to play an important role in Cambodia, even though most of the population is Buddhist. Since the 15th century, Buddhists have used the temple and many visitors will see Buddhist monks and nuns worshiping at the site. On the Cambodian flag, the silhouette of the Was of Angkor was emblazoned..