The Angkor Wat temple is surrounded by a moat, which some historians feel provides a clue as to its continuous use: the moat holds back the encroaching jungle.

The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of its architecture, which is a prime example of Khmer architecture. Some early South Indian influence reflects its Hindu origins. The temple has drawn praise for its grace and beauty, which survive in spite of looting and the passage of time. The outer enclosure is surrounded by open ground and the moat; access to the temple is via a causeway. The temple stands on a raised terrace and is made of three rectangular galleries rising to a central tower. Each level is higher than the last. Unlike other Angkor temples, the Angkor Wat temple is oriented to the west.

The extensive decorations are one of the great features of the Angkor Wat temple. These are predominantly bas-relief friezes depicting episodes from Hindu epics.

In the last 20 years, Angkor Wat has undergone continued conservation and restoration efforts and has seen a massive increase in tourism. This complex is one of the great religious edifices of the world and attracts over half a million visitors to this small country. For afficionados of historical religious monuments, Angkor Wat will continue to be a prime destination.

The use of temples for religious or spiritual activities goes far back into history. Places of worship or religious activity could be an unassuming geographic location, a mountain or a cave. However, man-made edifices to spiritual activities, religious beliefs and worship of one or many gods give testament to the power or spiritual belief and the underlying desire of humans to build monuments to their belief systems.

In terms of famous temples, every continent has them them. Although we have included many mosques, cathedrals, shrines and other places of worship here, the word "temple" should be used with discretion, as some religions do not use it to describe their places of worship.

The Angkor Wat edifice, in Cambodia, is a fantastic example of a historical temple complex. Built in the early 12th century, it has remained a significant religious center throughout history.

Places of Worship

Some religious groups build temples as places where routine worship is conducted. For others, only special services are conducted in the temples. We will be adding more of these famous temples as the site is constructed.