"Power, Unity and Style": A Tour of Angkor Wat

Located right on the cusp between big city and dense jungle, Angkor Wat is considered the largest religious site in the world. Built in the 12th Century by King Suryavarman II of the Khmer Empire of Cambodia, it was originally meant to be the state temple as well as serve as the downtown section of the-then capital. While the capital eventually moved following his death and the originally Hindu temple was converted into a Buddhist one, the complex at Angkor Wat became, in the centuries following its completion, the undisputed symbol of Cambodian national identity. Join me as we take an extensive tour of the grounds and study the history of this most fascinating and beautiful monuments!