Angkor Wat - 2013

Got up at 04:15 (yes that's correct) for sunrise over Angkor Wat- when we arrived there were already a lot of people and the first of the crepuscular light was emerging. Stuck around until the complex opened and went right up to the top temple. As most of you would know the Angkor Wat complex was originally built as a Hindu temple by “King Suryavarman II, who ruled from 1113 to at least 1145.” It was dedicated to Vishnu- hence the unusual west gate main entry, and was later transformed to Buddhist use; this meant that Buddhist iconography was not explicitly part of the structural architecture, although there were lots of statues of the Buddha all around, especially in the inner shrines.

For more detailed information see Asian Historical Architecture , Wikipedia, UNESCO and a very good article at the History Chanel.