HTML clipboardThe scale of Angkor Wat enabled the Khmer to give
full expression to religious symbolism. It is, above all else, a microcosm of
the Hindu universe. The moat represents the mythical oceans surrounding the
earth and the succession of concentric galleries represent the mountain ranges
that surround Mount Meru, the home of the gods. The towers represent the
mountain's peaks, and the experience of the ascent to the central shrine is,
maybe intentionally, a fairly convincing imitation of climbing a real mountain.
Much has been made of Angkor Wat's orientation - facing W rather than the
much more usual E - and this has attracted a number of explanations. The most
likely is that the temple was dedicated to Vishnu, sometimes associated with the
W.
The importance of this orientation to the W depends very much on how
unusual it is considered to be - how abrupt a break with tradition. Other
temples that break with the tradition of facing E are notably Phimai in NE
Thailand, which faces SE, and Preah Vihear which faces N. At Angkor, two of the
Preah Pithu temples face W as does the Vishnu temple at Preah Khan.
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