Angkor Wat Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cambodia

Angkor Wat is located about 310 kilometres (195 miles) north of Phnom Penh.

Answer: 12th century AD

Construction on Angkor Wat began in the early 12th century and continued for about thirty-seven years. It was built in the heyday of the Khmer, in the reign of Suryavarman II (reigned 1113-1150).

Answer: Vishnu

Vishnu, born out of Shiva's forehead, had eyes made of lotuses as well as four arms.

Answer: True

Surprisingly, when Frenchman Henri Mouhot discovered the complex in 1860, the natives of the Cambodian jungle were not sure who had built it. They thought that it could have been built by gods, or even by giants!

Answer: Khmer

The Khmer empire lasted from the ninth to the fifteenth century, and was at its most prolific stage in the 12th century, when Angkor Wat was built. King Saryavarman II, who gained the throne by killing his uncle, oversaw the building of the complex. He disappeared around 1150.

The Cham army of China defeated Angkor Wat in 1177, and King Jayavarman VII won it back in 1181. The Thai army later invaded in 1431.

Answer: Mount Meru

The five towers of Angkor Wat represent the five peaks of Mount Meru, the home of Vishnu. The towers are not the only symbolic elements of the complex. The whole site, in fact, may have been modeled after the Hindu vision of the universe. Moats, called barays, surround Angkor Wat and symbolize the primodial waters at the base of Mount Meru.

The complex itself is almost perfectly symmetrical, and may be a kind of astronomy tool, not unlike Stonehenge. Even the number of windows, pillars, and steps in various parts of the complex may be representative of the number of days in the solar and lunar calendars. Perhaps the most striking piece of symbolism is the fact that the complex faces west: in the direction of the afterlife in Hinduism.

Answer: False

Angkor Wat's glory days may have been short-lived, but it did not simply die away. Various Cambodian leaders have altered it over the years. In the 16th century, some of the original bas-reliefs were completed. Buddhist monks eventually claimed the site, and Buddhists continue to travel to Angkor Wat.

The complex stands today as a symbol to not just Hindus but also a large number of Buddhists. And people from all over the world recognize it as one of the most fascinating religious complexes ever built.

Answer: "city that is a temple"

Angkor Wat was far more than a group of temples in the jungle. According to Douglas Preston, it served as "a temple, a shrine, a mausoleum, an observatory, a public works project, and a source of national pride." The site, at almost 500 acres, may have had a million Khmers within its boundaries in the 12th century.

Answer: complex irrigation systems

A highly sophisticated irrigation system allowed the Khmer people to have two rice harvests a year instead of one. Rice was never in short supply, and people had more time to focus on cultural things. It has even been suggested that the Khmers kept slaves to do their work for them. Angkor Wat, in its glory days, must have had some of the most elaborate ceremonies in the east. Royal people rode their elephants through the jungle in processions, and it has been said that almost 166,000 candles were burned in a single ceremony.

Answer: False

There are more than one hundred temples of Angkor. Angkor Wat is the best preserved and most well known. Angkor Thom is another significant site, famed for its sandstone carvings. The temples of Angkor have been under siege for a number of years; bandits have stolen many beautiful stone art pieces to sell on the black market. Hopefully, Angkor Wat can be saved from further damage so that future generations can appreciate its magnificence and beauty.