The temple is surrounded by an outer wall measuring 1025m x 800m. There is a gate on each side of the wall but the main entrance is facing west. West is symbollically the direction of death. This has led to the conclusion that Angkor Wat must have existed primarily as a tomb. This is further supported by the fact that the bas-reliefs of the temple were designed to be viewed in an anticlockwise direction, a practise of the ancient Hindu funerary rites It is now commonly accepted that Angkor Wat most likely served both as a temple and a mausoleum for Suryavarman II
The Outer Wall
A statue of Vishnu
Apsara
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