MONOMAD: 5 Fascinating Facts About Angkor Wat You Probably Didn't Know

Hello, my Hive friends, and sorry for such a long delay in posting my black and whites. When will this life tempo slow down he? Anyway, for today's topin I am sharing with you some cool facts about Angkor Wat and as always, some nice monochrome with it.

1. It’s the World’s Largest Religious Monument
   Angkor Wat covers a whopping 162 hectares (that’s about 400 acres), making it the largest religious monument on Earth. Originally built as a Hindu temple for the god Vishnu, it later transformed into a Buddhist site and still remains one today.
   

2. It Faces West for a Reason
   Most temples face east, but Angkor Wat faces west, which is often associated with death in Hinduism. Some scholars believe it was built as a mausoleum for King Suryavarman II, who commissioned it in the early 12th century. Spooky? Symbolic? Probably both.
   

3. The Bas-Reliefs Are Basically a Stone Comic Book
   Intricate carvings run all along the temple walls, depicting epic battles, celestial dancers (apsaras), and mythological scenes. It’s like an ancient graphic novel carved in sandstone. No dialogue bubbles, though.
   

4. It Was Never Truly Lost But Was Hidden in Plain Sight
   Despite the romantic tales of "rediscovery," Angkor Wat was never fully abandoned or forgotten. Locals always knew about it, and Buddhist monks continued to care for it. But it wasn’t until the 19th century, when French explorers wrote about it, that the Western world finally paid attention.
   

5. It's Held Together Without Mortar
   Those giant stones were fitted together so perfectly they didn’t even need mortar. Some theories suggest ancient builders used a plant-based glue or sap. Whatever it was, it’s lasted almost 1,000 years, which is more than most modern concrete can promise.