Angkor Wat Temple

Since the publicised Angkor Wat temple “discovery” in the mid 19th century, it has been described as the largest religious building in the world, and is rightly spoken of as one of the wonders of the ancient world, along with sites such as Macchu Picchu and the Taj Mahal. The temple is located just over 6km from Siem Reap, is the centrepiece of the Angkor Archaeological Park, and has been UNESCO listed as a world heritage site since 1992.

One of the largest Angkor temples, Angkor Wat was built under King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. Originally built as a temple to Vishnu, it has been in continuous use as a Buddhist shrine since the adoption of Theravada Buddhism by the Khmer people, meaning it has remained in excellent condition over the centuries. Because of its symbolic representation of ancient Khmer nationhood, the temple survived the Khmer Rouge years relatively undamaged, and tourist numbers have increased steadily since the political situation stabilised.