Angkor temple architecture system

Timeline

1. c. 1100–1150Angkor Wat · CambodiaIn the 11th century, Khmer craftsmen developed dry-laid sandstone construction and mountain-shaped temple plans; Suryavarman II oversaw the building of Angkor Wat, establishing a classic paradigm with its five-tower Mount Meru layout and Hindu mythological reliefs.
2. c. 1150–1180Angkor Wat · CambodiaThe main sanctuary and gallery reliefs of Angkor Wat were essentially completed; the architectural system reached its Hindu-phase peak in proportion, structural layering, and narrative carving, becoming an eternal temple for god-king worship and a symbol of the state.
3. c. 1181–1220Bayon and Preah Khan · Angkor monument complexJayavarman VII shifted the architectural themes to Avalokitesvara and Buddhist narratives; the four-faced Buddha visages of the Bayon, gallery reliefs, and the Khmer smile of the city gates became hallmarks of the Mahayana Buddhist phase, as the system continued in form while its religious content transformed.
4. c. 1271–1300Angkor and its surroundings · CambodiaIn the 13th century, Khmer architectural paradigms influenced Champa, Siam, and other regions through tributary relations and the movement of craftsmen; the Angkor system's hydraulic infrastructure, mountain-shaped plans, and sandstone carving techniques became important references for Southeast Asian temple-tower architecture.