Temples of Angkor
At the heart of Angkor Thom is the 12th-century Bayon, the mesmerising, if slightly mind-bending, state temple of Jayavarman VII. It epitomises the…
Must-see attractions in Temples of Angkor
Temples of Angkor
A spectacular sight to behold, Beng Mealea, located about 68km northeast of Siem Reap, is one of the most mysterious temples at Angkor, as nature has well…
Temples of Angkor
The traveller's first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is matched by only a few select spots on earth. Built by Suryavarman…
Temples of Angkor
The so-called 'Tomb Raider Temple', Ta Prohm is cloaked in dappled shadow, its crumbling towers and walls locked in the slow muscular embrace of vast root…
Temples of Angkor
Considered by Khmers to be the most sacred mountain in Cambodia, Phnom Kulen is a popular place of pilgrimage on weekends and during festivals. It played…
Temples of Angkor
Abandoned to the forests of the north, Koh Ker, capital of the Angkorian empire from 928 to 944 CE, is within day-trip distance of Siem Reap. Most…
Temples of Angkor
A spectacularly carved riverbed, Kbal Spean is set deep in the jungle to the northeast of Angkor. More commonly referred to in English as the ‘River of a…
Temples of Angkor
The temple of Preah Khan is one of the largest complexes at Angkor, a maze of vaulted corridors, fine carvings and lichen-clad stonework. It is a good…
Temples of Angkor
The Terrace of the Leper King is just north of the Terrace of Elephants. Dating from the late 12th century, it is a 7m-high platform, on top of which…
Temples of Angkor
The Buddhist temple of Preah Neak Poan is a petite yet perfect temple constructed by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. It has a large square pool…
Temples of Angkor
Located around 400m south of Angkor Thom, the main attraction at Phnom Bakheng is the sunset view over Angkor Wat. For many years, the whole affair turned…
Temples of Angkor
Some have called Baphuon the 'world's largest jigsaw puzzle'. Before the civil war the Baphuon was painstakingly taken apart piece by piece by a team of…
Temples of Angkor
Bakong is the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group of temples. Built and dedicated to Shiva by Indravarman I, it’s a representation of Mt Meru…
Temples of Angkor
Banteay Kdei, a massive Buddhist monastery from the latter part of the 12th century, is surrounded by four concentric walls. Each of its four entrances is…
Temples of Angkor
The 350m-long Terrace of Elephants was used as a giant viewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king’s grand audience hall. Try to…
Temples of Angkor
Banteay Samré dates from the same period as Angkor Wat and was built by Suryavarman II. The temple is in a fairly healthy state of preservation due to…
Temples of Angkor
Prasat Krahom, the second-largest structure at Koh Ker, is so named for the red bricks from which it is constructed. Sadly, none of the carved lions for…
Temples of Angkor
Preah Palilay is located about 200m north of the Royal Enclosure’s northern wall. It was erected during the rule of Jayavarman VII and originally housed a…
Temples of Angkor
The east gate of Angkor Thom was used as a location in Tomb Raider, where the bad guys broke into the ‘tomb’ by pulling down a giant polystyrene apsara…
Temples of Angkor
The principal monument at Koh Ker is Prasat Thom. The staircase to the top is open to a limited number of visitors and the views are spectacular if you…
Temples of Angkor
The south gate of Angkor Thom is most popular with visitors, as it has been fully restored and many of the heads (mostly copies) remain in place. The gate…
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Angkor Wat
The remarkable western section of the south gallery depicts a triumphal battle march of Suryavarman II’s army. In the southwestern corner about 2m from…
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Temples of Angkor
One of three temple-mountains built by Yasovarman I in the late 9th or early 10th century, this peaceful but remote location (about 25km from Siem Reap)…
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Angkor Wat
The southern section of the east gallery is decorated by the most famous of the bas-relief scenes at Angkor Wat, the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. This…
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Temples of Angkor
Along the eastern side of Central Square are two groups of buildings, called Kleangs. The North Kleang, dated from the period of Jayavarman V, and the…
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Temples of Angkor
Phimeanakas stands close to the centre of a walled area that once housed the royal palace. There’s very little left of the palace today except for two…
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Temples of Angkor
Pre Rup, built by Rajendravarman II, is about 1km south of the Eastern Mebon and is a popular spot for sunset. The temple consists of a pyramid-shaped…
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Temples of Angkor
The temple of Phnom Krom, 12km south of Siem Reap on a hill overlooking Tonlé Sap lake, dates from the reign of Yasovarman I in the late 9th or early 10th…
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Angkor Wat
The southern portion of the west gallery depicts a battle scene from the Hindu Mahabharata epic, in which the Kauravas (coming from the north) and the…
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Temples of Angkor
Preah Ko was erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century and dedicated to Shiva. In AD 880 the temple was also dedicated to his deified ancestors:…
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Temples of Angkor
Uninspiring from the outside, the interior brick carvings concealed within its towers are the hidden treasure of Prasat Kravan. The five brick towers,…
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Temples of Angkor
Ta Keo is a stark, undecorated temple that undoubtedly would have been one of the finest of Angkor’s structures, had it been finished. Built by Jayavarman…
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Temples of Angkor
This petite hilltop temple is actually part of a larger complex that spanned the entire hill. It is relatively under-visited compared with more centrally…
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Temples of Angkor
Spean Thmor, of which an arch and several piers remain, is 200m east of Thommanon. Jayavarman VII constructed many roads with these immense stone bridges…
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Temples of Angkor
The Western Baray, measuring an incredible 8km by 2.3km, was constructed by hand to provide water for the intensive cultivation of lands around Angkor…
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Angkor Wat
The punishments and rewards of the 37 heavens and 32 hells are depicted in the eastern half of the south gallery. On the left, the upper and middle tiers…
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Temples of Angkor
This Hindu temple, erected by Rajendravarman II, would once have been situated on an islet in the centre of the Eastern Baray, but it is now very much on…
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Temples of Angkor
The four brick towers of Lolei, an almost exact replica of the towers of Preah Ko (although in much worse shape), were built on an islet in the centre of…
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Temples of Angkor
Ta Nei, 800m north of Ta Keo, was built by Jayavarman VII (r 1181–1219). There is something of the spirit of Ta Prohm here, albeit on a lesser scale, with…
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Temples of Angkor
Located southwest of the south gate of Angkor Thom, Baksei Chamkrong is one of the few brick edifices in the immediate vicinity of Angkor. A well…
