The Khmer temples were built to house the statues of the gods, representing their earthly homes, and were also symbols of power for the king.
Nevertheless, they were also built for another purpose. In Hindu mythology, the continent of Jambudvipa is the center of the world. It is surrounded by six rings of mountain ranges and seven oceans which are all enclosed by a huge wall made of rock. At the very center is a magic mountain, Mount Meru, with five peaks. This is the home of the gods.
The Angkor temples were built to represent this home of the gods. The most effective way of building a mountain was to build receding terraces shaped like a pyramid, hence the name `pyramid temple.' The five towers represented the peaks of Mount Meru. The moats that surrounded the temples represented the seas that encircled the mountain.
