8th Wonder of the World: The Temples of Angkor Wat

What are the temples of Angkor Wat?

Angkor Wat is the name of the most famous and well preserved temple in Cambodia.  It is also the name for the collective group of temples within that area, as well as a UNESCO heritage site. 

Where are the temples of Angkor Wat?

The temples of Angkor Wat are located in central Cambodia, just outside of Siem Reap. From the Siem Reap city center it is roughly 30 minutes to Angkor.  However there are more temples in the area than just around Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Further temples are 45 to 60 minutes outside the city center.

History of Angkor

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire from the 800s to the 1400s, when the empire moved south to modern day Phnom Penh. The temples of Angkor were built at the direction of the Khmer kings from the mid 800s into the 1300s.  These are a mix of royal temples and residences.  The Angkor area has over 70 major temples and up to a 1000 minor temples scattered throughout the area. Not all temples were completed.  There’s a story of a temple that was abandoned in construction after being hit by lightning, as it was seen as a bad omen. 

During its peak Angkor was one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of 700,000 - 900,000 people. To date, Angkor Wat is still the largest religious monument in the world.