Travel · 2

When Angkor Wat later transitioned from Hindu to Buddhist use, what happened to its original towers?

Answer

They were repurposed rather than rebuilt

As Angkor Wat shifted from a Hindu to a Buddhist site, its existing towers were adapted for Buddhist worship rather than torn down and reconstructed from scratch.

💡 Did you know?

Angkor Wat was built as a Hindu temple in the 12th century, then converted to Buddhism—its towers were repurposed, not rebuilt.

Other options people guess

  • They were demolished and replaced with new spires
  • They were relocated to a new temple site
  • They were buried and new towers built above them

Topics

  • angkor-wat
  • architecture
  • buddhism
  • world-heritage

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