An emblematic temple

Angkor Wat is such a stalwart symbol of Cambodia that its shape has graced the country's flags for over a century, even through long periods of political turmoil. Considered the largest religious building in the world, the Hindu-turned-Buddhist temple has stood in this spot since the 12th century, carefully aligned east to west to match the sun's motion. The temple's distinctive five central towers—arranged in a symmetrical pattern called a quincunx—represent Mount Meru, the mythic five-pointed peak where the Hindu gods reside.