Angkor Wat, Cambodia
© Ruslan Poluektov/Shutterstock
Modeled on a mountain
Construction on Angkor Wat began in the early 12th century, originally intended as a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. But by the dawn of the 13th century, it had been redefined as a Buddhist holy site. Symbols, artwork, and other details represent both faiths. Angkor Wat and the nearby city of Siem Reap are among Cambodia's most popular destinations. The temple's quincunx of towers represents the mythic Mount Meru. The idea of the massive mountain appears in both Hindu and Buddhist texts, and it is described as the center of the cosmos.
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