Is Angkor Wat really aligned with the sun, and why does it face west?

Probably yes, at least in one respect, but scholars disagree about how much more it means. Several studies observed that during the spring and autumn equinoxes the rising sun aligns with the central tower when viewed from the western entrance causeway. Interpretations vary, but the alignment is generally regarded as intentional. Features of the temple suggest celestial significance more broadly: its east-west orientation, lines of sight from terraces showing particular towers at the solstice sunrise, and a main tower that aligns with the morning sun of the spring equinox.

Why west? Unlike most Khmer temples, Angkor Wat faces west rather than east. That led scholars including Maurice Glaize and George Coedès to hypothesise that King Suryavarman II intended it as his funerary temple. The bas-reliefs, which proceed counter-clockwise, the reverse of the normal order, as Brahminic funeral rituals do, fit that view, as does a container that may have been a funerary jar recovered from the central tower. But Freeman and Jacques note that several other Angkor temples depart from the eastern orientation, and suggest that the west reflects the temple's dedication to Vishnu, who was associated with the west.

Angkor Wat was built between 1113 and 1150 as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, and its layout is commonly read as a symbol of Mount Meru. It was also practical: its dam and moats connected to the Angkor water network and stored water between the monsoon and dry seasons.

The bigger claims, such as hidden calendars in the dimensions, are contested. Eleanor Mannikka argues that the alignment, dimensions and bas-reliefs represent a new era of peace under Suryavarman II, but her suggestions have been received with a mixture of interest and scepticism in academic circles.