Join us as we explore the history and grandeur of Angkor Wat, a massive temple complex in Cambodia that holds the title of the largest religious complex in the world. In this episode, we discuss how the site was constructed between 1113 and 1150 CE by King Suryavarman II as a state temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu,. We examine the temple's sophisticated architecture, designed to represent the cosmological Mount Meru, and its unusual western orientation, which has led scholars to speculate it was intended as a funerary temple,.

Listeners will learn about the site's rich decorations, including nearly 2,000 depictions of devatas and extensive bas-reliefs illustrating scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata,. We also trace the monument's evolution from a Hindu center to a Theravada Buddhist site, a transformation that kept it in continuous religious use and contributed to its preservation,. Finally, we cover the temple’s "rediscovery" by European explorers in the 19th century, its restoration by international teams, and the modern challenges posed by mass tourism to this UNESCO World Heritage Site,,.