Top 10 of the largest temples in the world

1. Angkor Wat Or City Temple : is the biggest temple complex in the world, located in Cambodia. It was built on a raised terrace above the rest of the city and consists of three concentric rectangles which together form a 65 meters central tower. The outer gallery has dimensions 187 x 215m. This is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Vishnu and was built 12th century by king Suryavarman II of the Khmer empire.

[Image Source : Heng Sinith/AP]

2. Karnak Temple Complex: Building of the complex began in the reign Sesostris I during the Middle Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic period.  It consists of four main parts: Precinct of Amun-Ra, Precinct of Mut, Precinct of Montu, and the dismantled Temple of Amenhotep IV.

[Image Source : Eviljohnius,Flickr]

3. Borobudur (or Barabudur): It is Buddhist  temple located in Central Java, Indonesia and built in 9th century during the reign of Saliendra Dynasty. Six square plates built one over another and above them another three circular platforms built in the same manner are the components of the temple. Decorations include 504 statues of Buddha and 2672 relief panels.

[Image Source : Arian Zwegers,Flickr]

4. Akshardham: It could be called modern temple as it was built between 2000-2005 with the work of 3000 volunteers and 7000 craftsmen. The project was inspired and developed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj and represents thousands of years of Indian and Hindu culture and architecture.

[Image Source : Alejandro Alfonso Regueiro,Flickr]

5. Sri Ranganathaswamy: This is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu, located in Srirangam, India. The temple is closed by seven walls (called prakarams or mathil suvar) with overall length of more than 6 miles. The temple has a hall of 1000 poles (Ayiram kaal mandapam), 21 towers (gouparams), 39 pavilions, 50 shrines, and few water sources inside.

[Image Source : BOMBMAN,Flickr]

6. Jetavanaramaya: This is a mound-like building that contains Buddhist relics, normally the dust of deceased. This kind of buildings is called stupa. King Mahasena (273-301 AD) began building of this stupa and his son Maghavanna I completed the construction.

[Image Source : Fabien Fivaz,Flickr]

8. Temple of Saint Sava: This church is dedicated to the founder of the Serbian Orthodox church and is located in Belgrade. It is the largest Orthodox Church in the world as its building began in 1985 and was completed in 2004. It covers a surface area of 3500 sq meters.

[Image Source : Motoyen,Flickr]

9. Temple of Christ the Saviour: It is located in Moscow and was built in the middle of 19th century. In 1931 was destroyed by order of Yosif Stalin to make a monument of the socialism called Palace of the Soviets. This palace was never built, however. Restoration of the church began in 1990 and completed in 2000. The height of 105 meters makes it the tallest Orthodox Church in the world.

[Image Source : Nickolas Titkov,Flickr]

10. Baalbek: Called Heliopolis by the Romans, it was the biggest temple in their empire. It is located in republic of Lebanon in the Middle East, at the eastern coast of Mediterranean Sea. For a period of two centuries time, the Romans built a complex of three temples here: Jupiter, Bacchus and Venus. The Roman gods replaced the indigenous local deities of Hadad, Atargatis and a young male god of fertility.

[Image Source : Arian Zwegers,Flickr]