Angkor Wat is the largest and most renowned temple of the ancient Khmer Empire, but when was it built and by who?
Angkor Wat was built in the first half of the 12th century somewhere between 1113 and 1150 AD under the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113-1150 C.E.). Based on vague references found on inscriptions, it is believed that construction began around 1116 AD and ended just after the kings passing in 1150. Unlike many other temples in the area that have accurate dates, the foundation stela for Angkor Wat has never been found.
Who Built Angkor Wat?
It was built under the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113-1150 C.E.) originally as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and some suggest possibly serving as the king’s mausoleum. It is believed that some 300,000 laborers, stonemasons, sculptors, carpenters, along with support services would have been involved in building the temple over the three decades of construction.
When was it abandoned and when was it rediscovered?
At its height, the city of Angkor, including Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and the numerous other temples, grew to become what is now known as the world’s largest pre-industrial city with a population estimated to be between 750,000 to 1 million.
So how did such a seemingly booming and highly advanced civilization disappear into the jungle?
There is much speculation as to the collapse of the city and the empire that include theories on climate change/drought, religious upheaval and civil unrest, power struggles, relentless wars with neighboring forces, and the likely combination of crises.
While any accurate details are sketchy, it is believed that the Khmer elite had already long begun leaving Angkor prior to the final war and its ransacking by the Thai Kingdom of Ayutthaya in 1431 and the later abandonment. Although, research on ancient remains found around Angkor may indicate people did return, and perhaps many did stay on, after these seemingly catastrophic events.
In 1570, King Barom Reachea I managed to temporarily regain control of the region and return the capital to Angkor. Also, inscriptions are seen on the internal columns of Angkor Wat confirming the site was never completely abandoned and in tandem with other evidence, that monks returned to occupy and even start restoring the temple. Japanese and Burmese monks are also noted as making pilgrimages to the sacred site.
In 1586 the first westerner, António da Madalena, a Portuguese friar, visited the site and later by the French naturalist and explorer Henri Mouhot in 1860 who famously bought the ancient site to the worlds attention.
Angkor Wat on a Timeline of popular Angkorian Era Temples
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See the full guide to visiting Angkor Wat where I cover all the key highlights including an Introduction, Fast Facts, Visiting Guide, Layout and Highlights Map, Gallery, Etymology, History, Architecture, Style, Features, New Discoveries, and more Secrets and Mysteries.
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