Temple architecture as a cultural core in Southeast Asia

Dissertation thesis "Temple architecture as a cultural core in Southeast Asia" presents the temple architecture of Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesian islands of Java and Bali as a cultural phenomenon which opens possibility to observe Hindu and Buddhists cultural continuity in Southeast Asia. The main focus of the work is in the culturological analysis of the temple architecture as a semiotic system - associated symbols and meanings in close relations, reflecting the ideological foundations of Hindu and Buddhist culture. This study follows the works of orientalists and anthropologists and it extends the Czech bibliography, which traditionally lacks of topics in church architecture of Southeast Asia. This study does not claim to cover the topic in a full universal view. It is guided by an effort to map the issues in culturological terms and help to a deeper understanding of cultural heritage of East Asian culture as part of the cultural heritage of mankind. Keywords: Architecture, Southeast Asia, Buddhism, Hinduism, Java, Bali, Thailand, Cambodia